Wild winds in Australia leave thousands without power

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Wild winds in the city of Melbourne and across the Australian state of Victoria have torn off roofs, downed trees and left more than 450,000 homes without power. Energy manager AEMO says the damage was severe and warned that some customers wouldn’t have electricity over the weekend or even by early next week. In some places, gusts reached 103 miles per hour. The storms came at an awkward time as many people in Melbourne were preparing to travel elsewhere in the state. The weekend marks the first time in months that people will be able to move freely around Victoria after coronavirus restrictions were lifted. The winds are expected to ease Friday evening.