The woman, believed to be in her 30s, was struck by an elm tree more than 100 years old

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A woman is dead after being crushed by a century-old tree at Melbourne’s Princes Park.

Police said emergency services were called to Royal Parade at Parkville about 8.30am on Monday.

The woman, believed to be in her 30s, was taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital in a critical condition but died soon after arriving.

Wild weather: severe winds, snow, surf and rain lash Victoria, South Australia and NSW Read more

“Police will prepare a report for the coroner after a woman was struck by a tree in Parkville this morning,” Victoria police said.

No one else was injured. Footage from the scene showed the massive tree lying on its side over a footpath, with its exposed roots ripped out of the ground.

The City of Melbourne said it was now examining other trees in the area and working out when the fallen tree had last been inspected by arborists, something that is meant to happen every two years.

“Our arborists are on-site and all trees in the immediate vicinity will be reassessed for safety as a matter of priority,” said the council’s chief executive, Justin Hanney.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The roots of the tree in Princes Park. Photograph: Daniel Pockett/AAP

“The fallen tree is an English elm that was planted in 1913. It is one of 3,000 elms and one of 77,000 trees on our tree register.”

Part of Royal Parade was closed to traffic while emergency services remained on scene.

Victoria and south-eastern Australia have experienced several days of wild weather.

Another woman died on Friday when ferocious winds brought down a tree that crushed her car in the Yarra Ranges north-east of Melbourne.