Parkes was hit with a severe storm at the weekend which caused havoc across the town. About 7pm on Friday a severe storm cell struck with strong wings, hail and heavy rain.
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As a result of the storm a number of buildings have been damaged and numerous roads are blocked due to fallen trees.
A significant part of the town has been affected by a power outage due to downed power lines and flooding.
A takeaway store on Forbes Road suffered structural damage causing a wall to collapse. Another store, on Clarinda Street, also suffered from severe structural damage.
Police from Lachlan Local Area Command are assisting in response to these incidents, with the State Emergency Service (SES), Fire & Rescue NSW, and Rural Fire Service (RFS) also providing resources.
Police from neighbouring areas are also assisting in the response.
At this stage there are no reports of injuries.
Parkes Council staff are currently working on clearing fallen trees working through priority roads and highways before moving to next tier priorities. With limited resources, staff will be working through the night and will be working over the weekend due to the significant number of trees down.
Motorists need to be aware of these conditions when driving and drive to the conditions in a safe and responsible manner whilst being prepared for debris and limbs as winds are still prevailing which may result in further trees falling.
The community is reminded to call triple-0 in an emergency situation, or in relation to Council infrastructure and services to call the emergency after hours number 1800 648 585.
