Two men drowned after being swept from Frankston Pier on Wednesday afternoon as extreme winds reaching 130 km/h wreaked havoc across Victoria, bringing down trees and cutting power to thousands of homes.

The State Emergency Service was swamped with more than 1400 calls, including reports of more than 1000 toppled trees. Just 22 calls for assistance were outstanding by 6.30am on Thursday, a spokesperson said.

Wind gusts of up to 130km/h were recorded at Wilsons Promontory, 120km/h at Mount Gellibrand, 117km/h at Falls Creek, 113km/h at Mount Hotham and 98km/h at Cape Otway.

The powerful winds peaked in Melbourne at 96km/h in St Kilda.

A severe weather warning for more destructive winds has been cancelled, as the low-pressure system moves into the Tasman Sea and towards New Zealand, the

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