Shed destroyed and debris sent flying by willy willy

whirlywind
The local State Emergency Services Unit was called to help out clean up a after a willy willy whirlwind caused damage to a home in Bradley Street last Wednesday.

The Cobar State Emergency Services (SES) Unit responded to reports of damage following a strong willy willy whirlwind last Wednesday afternoon.

Cobar SES Local Controller Gordon Hill said at about 1.30pm the whirlwind struck several properties along the southern side of Louth Road.

The strong winds caused a shed in Frederick Street to partially collapse while a house verandah and carport in Bradley Street were unroofed and windows were broken.

Bradley Street resident Colby Lawrence, who was at home at the time of the wind storm, said it hit very suddenly.

“I was at the kitchen sink washing the dishes when I saw the willy willy in the back yard,” Mr Lawrence told The Cobar Weekly.

He said it got very loud and then the kitchen and dining room windows were sucked out by the force of the wind.

He said the wind also unroofed the back verandah, and carport, broke a water pipe, destroyed the clothesline, scattered various objects around the yard which punched holes in the walls and roof of the back shed and sent debris flying into neighbouring yards.

“We found tin from the carport in the neighbour’s pool and power was cut to another house two doors down,” he said.

Tradesmen working on the exterior of a home next door to Mr Lawrence were forced to quickly take cover as sheets of iron from the carport were blown around wildly.

Mr Hill said members of the Cobar SES Unit assisted the clean up of the building debris and to shore up the remaining sections of the damaged shed. The shed has since been demolished.

“It was fortunate that nobody was injured by the flying debris,” Mr Hill said.