Just after 2pm a  tornado ripped through properties along Orange Springs Road, causing serious damage to at least three.

“At about 10 past 2 in the afternoon a big wind like a tornado ripped through the driveway of our house,” resident Catherine Lee said.

Houses, crops and the processing building of an olive grove were seriously damaged.

Three people have been reported as being taken to hospital as a result of the storm in the north of Perth.

SES volunteers attended the scene and cleanup has begun.

“SES was saying it was a tornado,” Ms Lee said. “Power-lines were down and poles broken…lots of damage.”

Ms Catherine estimated that damages to her property may have been in the area of $500,000, including damage to the roof and outlying buildings.

Her neighbours house was written off she said.

“Nobody was hurt thank goodness,” she said.

Gingin residents of Sovereign Hill, Redfield Park Estate were also warned to evacuate after lightning strikes started fires in Moore River National Park.

After the efforts of 60 firefighters and the rain dampening the fire, the alert level was downgraded by about 5pm.

Today the Gingin area is forecast to be partly cloudy with an 80 per cent chance of rain with strong winds of 8.5km/h.