Tens of thousands remain without power in Victoria following storms

Tens of thousands of Victorians remain without power following severe storms in the state’s southeast. AusNet says around 500 crews are working to restore power to most areas by Saturday evening; however, some properties may not be reconnected to the grid for nearly a week. According to the Herald Sun, some urgent triple-zero callers on Tuesday were forced to wait up to six minutes as the service issued a plea for help to off-duty staff. Premier Jacinta Allan says repairs were impacted by safety concerns, and closed roads from fallen trees. “We also do want to acknowledge that there is going to be a smaller number who are going to be impacted for a longer period of time,” she said. “We are looking at how we can get in and provide support for those communities that are going to be affected for longer.”