11.45am
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The State Emergency Service has received more than 700 calls for assistance from people in the region between Kyneton and Seymour.
SES chief officer Tim Weibusch told reporters a short time ago crews had been called to more than 5000 jobs across the state.
"It will take several days to work through the backlog," he said.
Rainfall totals had exceeded 200 millimetres in elevated regions in the state's east, while 80mm was recorded to 9am at Trentham.
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Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Crisp said the weather system had "smashed" a region extending from Lorne and the Otway Ranges in the west, to Gippsland in the east.
He urged people to stay safe while crews were cleaning up.
"If you don't need to be out on the roads... then please don't," he said.
10.25am
After a tumultuous three weeks in the wake of being named as a tier one coronavirus exposure site, the Axedale Tavern has been left without a verandah roof.
Owner Gary Van Wynen said a group of locals gathered quickly to help out.
"A couple of blokes I know from mining days rang up and came out to put up a temporary roof," he said.
"They came out to help straight away.
"We're having fun, if I don't laugh I'll cry."
- For the latest coronavirus news, click here
Earlier
Wild weather has thrashed parts of central Victoria overnight, bringing trees down, damaging homes and cutting power to thousands of residents.
The State Emergency Service has responded to thousands of calls for help across the state after a night of strong winds left a trail of destruction.
The Bendigo SES unit alone responded to 21 calls overnight Wednesday, while there were more than 260 across the central Victoria region.
Statewide there has been more than 3400 calls, mostly in eastern Victoria for flooding and wind damage.
Kyneton Police Acting Senior Sergeant Jan Stroek said police were called out to more than 100 requests for assistance.
"It was insane," he said.
"Roads were blocked throughout the night and right to the point where SES issued a cease work order which means they stopped attending jobs as it was too dangerous for them.
"As they were clearing trees off the roads, trees were falling around them and it was just so dangerous."
Bendigo police also attended more than 40 calls for assistance due to fallen trees.
The storms left thousands without power, with Powercor reporting more than 27,000 statewide customers without electricity about 6.45am on Thursday.
However, many areas surrounding Bendigo, Heathcote and Maldon were still suffering blackouts.
More to come
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