when it rained sheep in Melbourne

Rain are droplets of water falling from clouds in the sky that are bigger than 0.5 mm. Droplets of water that are about 0.2mm to 0.5mm big are called drizzle. Rain is a kind of precipitation. Precipitation is any kind of water that falls from clouds in the sky, like rain, hail, sleet and snow. Rain is part of the water cycle.  You might have experienced moderate or heavy downpours and least frequently – the hailstorm.  Acid rains are heard of, but are rarest.  

What some motorists experienced in the Australian city of Melbourne in the Princess Freeway, is most unheard of.  They saw ‘raining sheeps’ – yes falling sheep hitting vehicles – it was not anything natural, but an accident of  a lorry carrying livestock overturning on a flyover.  As if to highlight the hazards of road journey, a  truck carrying 400 sheep hung precariously,  with its cargo plunged on to the road below.  It was repoted that several cars were smashed as they were hit by the falling animals or swerved to avoid them.  Many sheep were killed or injured, but Melbourne police said there were no human casualties.  Police say that the lorry was travelling to the town of Geelong when the accident occurred on the flyover above the Princess Freeway.  The cause of the incident is still being determined.

Sheep rained down onto a motorway; Drivers were left agog as the downy cargo fell onto passing vehicles below, with several cars careering off the road. Humans were fortunate, as there were no casualties; many of the sheep were not so lucky.  The lorry, which was travelling to Geelong, slammed into the wall of the Princess Freeway, though the cause of the accident remains unknown. 

Motorists were frightened at the downpour, later realized its cause after looking up and seeing the truck flipped on its sides.  The newspaper reports put that the  truck was still  hanging over the overpass just above the Princes Freeway when Police and reporters went there.  According to the reports, the  Princes Highway was  blocked inbound. One lane of the Westgate Freeway outbound remained closed.  Police made an appeal for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact Crime Stoppers  or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au

The Princes Highway route through Melbourne, runs along former alignments with which originally Highway 1 (now the M1) now run on Melbourne's freeway network.  A section of the Princes Highway commences at Laverton North and traverses through the Melbourne city centre and an interchange with the M1 at Southbank 2 km south of the city to Berwick, more than 40 km south-east of the city centre. In total the highway traverses 58 km through the Melbourne metropolitan region, which is the longest and the southeastern portion alone runs for 41 km. The majority of the Melbourne section of the highway is a six lane divided carriageway, with the exception of inner Melbourne traffic conditions, which varies from eight lane divided carriageways to four lane single carriageways.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.

3^rd June 2012.