By Rebecca Peppiatt
WILD winds and damaging rain played havoc with road surfaces throughout the eastern suburbs on Tuesday night, leaving some motorists with thousands of dollars worth of damage to their cars.
A pothole on the Great Eastern Highway near Linley Valley Road, Wooroloo, caused so much damage to vehicles the police had to be called in to warn motorists it was there.
Around 11 vehicles were estimated to have been caught out by the pot, which was reported to the Department of Main Roads at 5.18am.
Kaizie Cooper was driving to work in Northam at 5.30am when her car hit the hole, leaving it requiring over $3000 of repairs.
“It has cracked one rim and bent the other, taking out a tyre,” she said.
“You couldn’t see it until you hit it.”
Damian Mercer ended up with $2500 worth of damage to his tyre rims, as well as a tow truck bill of $650 and another local motorist had a damaged wrist from hitting the hole so hard.
“I guess with the amount of rain we have had it’s to be expected,” she said.
“I just didn’t see it in the dark until it was too late.”
Northam Police were called out to the incident to direct traffic and make motorists aware of the hazard.
The Department of Main Roads had the road repaired by 10am.