More than 15,000 homes without power as wild winds lash the state

Damaging winds have lashed Victoria, with gusts of 102km/h recorded at Avalon and winds reaching 109km/h in Port Fairy.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has received almost 750 calls for help since midnight, and 400 calls are still outstanding.

“We are also expecting that to increase throughout the afternoon,” SES state duty manager Andrew Feagan told 3AW’s Jacqui Felgate.

Press PLAY below to hear more details from the SES

Most of the call-outs are for fallen trees and building damage.

The Warrnambool area has been hardest hit, with 184 calls waiting to be attended to.

At 12.40pm, more than 15,000 properties across the state were without power.

A severe weather warning for damaging winds is in place for Central, South West, West and South Gippsland and parts of East Gippsland, North Central, North East and Wimmera Forecast Districts.

Image (at top): Jacqui Felgate/Instagram