Victoria floods cause major havoc
A temporary flood levee in Hamilton, a town in Victoria’s south-west, threatened to collapse, and as a result, residents to 45 homes in the area were ordered to evacuate immediately.
On Wednesday morning, the State Emergency Service issued the evacuation warning for streets near the Grangeburn River, which runs adjacent to Hamilton’s CBD, as flood warnings were renewed for the Loddon, Wimmera, Avoca, Barwon, Campaspe and Glenelg rivers.
An SES spokesperson said water is beginning to spill over a levee further upstream of Apex Park. Residents who evacuated were told not to return until they were told it is safe to do so. A relief centre has been opened at the Hamilton Indoor Leisure and Aquatic Club for anyone who needs support.
Authorities have warned Victoria is already saturated from heavy rain, which have fallen since the weekend. Victorians are urged to brace for more heavy pours and flash flooding today after some towns received a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours on Tuesday.
Landslides have forced closures along the Great Ocean Road as Mother Nature creates havoc across Victoria. The Great Ocean Road, between Deans Marsh Road in Lorne and View Road in Eastern View, is closed due to landslips and fallen trees.
“Emergency services and VicRoads are on site. This closure is in the control of Victoria Police and we do not know when the road will re-open,” a VicRoads spokeswoman said. “Princes Highway may be an alternative route for some, however it is also closed at Birregurra, due to flooding. Access to Lorne is maintained via Deans Marsh-Lorne Road.”
The SES has received about 400 calls for help from across Victoria since Tuesday midnight, with 203 of the calls regarding flooding. In Melbourne, there have been 28 calls for assistance, mostly related to flooding. VicRoads has been forced to close more than 50 roads in Victoria.
A Melbourne man was swept one kilometre down a flooded creek while trying to save his dog from drowning on Tuesday night. He was rescued by firefighters and taken to a hospital with hypothermia.
The ongoing heavy rain and flash flooding has damaged farmland and some homes, including a Cockatoo home hit by a large tree Tuesday night. The tree pierced the roof of the home, narrowly missing a bed. Fortunately, no one was injured.
In Melbourne, people living around Werribee, Maribyrnong, Yarra, Dandenong, and Bunyip catchments have been warned there could be minor flooding.
