Severe weather batters Western Australia

Tens of thousands of people are without power after severe weather slammed Western Australia.

A powerful cold front battered the region on Sunday night, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds.

The rain proved useful with some parts of Perth reporting 28mm. This will certainly help the reservoirs, but the winds were far more destructive.

The strongest wind reported was 111kph, in Cape Leeuwin, the most southwesterly point in mainland Australia, but winds raged across much of the southwest.

Rottnest Island, which is 18 kilometres off the coast of Perth, reported a gust of 102kph, and Perth itself recorded a gust of 82kph.

The violent winds pulled down trees and powerlines, leaving over 10,000 people without power.

Trees slammed through the roofs of a number of homes and residents of a block of flats in the Perth suburbs of Attadale had to suddenly take cover as the winds ripped off the roof.

Hot on the heels of the first cold front, follows another equally powerful system.

This one is forecast to batter the region during the night, with winds again gusting over 100kph, perhaps reaching as high as 125kph in some areas.

Residents are being warned that these winds could cause significant damage to homes, and are being urged to stay indoors away from windows.