More than 10,000 Victorians have been left without power after wild storms ripped through the state overnight, with “life-threatening flooding” forecast for Wednesday afternoon.
Strong winds and a heavy downpour swept through Victoria late on Tuesday afternoon, causing flash flooding events in Melbourne and wreaking havoc at homes in the regions.
Flood warnings have been enacted for the Loddon and Avoca Rivers, affecting areas close to Wedderburn and Boort in the north west of the state, following a 99mm deluge through the night to Wednesday morning.
About 7,700 AusNet customers in the east of Victoria have reported power outages with the energy service provider estimating power would return for most residents between midday and 6pm.
CitiPower recorded a further 2,543 customers are currently without power in the regions west of Melbourne.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued further warnings for severe thunderstorms for the eastern ranges and Gippsland hills on Wednesday afternoon, forecasting “damaging winds” and more hail.
“Severe thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall/flash flooding, damaging winds, or large hail are a risk over much of #Vic this afternoon – particularly the eastern ranges and Gippsland Hills where intense rainfall may cause life-threatening flash flooding,” the Bureau of Meteorology for Victoria posted to X, formerly Twitter.
Hail stones ravaged homes in Bendigo on Tuesday, with residents in Bacchus Marsh reporting roads and parklands being flooded in.
Locals in the area were told it was taking “longer than expected” to regain power in some households.
“Electric water pumps means no water either, and we don’t have any gas appliances. Guess who went grocery shopping yesterday and filled the fridge?” a woman in Bacchus Marsh told Facebook.
Residents around Lake Eildon, in the east of the state, were forced to watch on as winds battered their homes, causing damage to properties and forcing trees to fall.
Back in Melbourne, SES crews worked to clear floodwater in Essendon, Fawkner and Benalla as a result of the thunderstorms on Tuesday.
Commuters have been urged to avoid driving through floodwaters, with Victoria Police adding a man and his dog were rescued from floodwater in Wedderburn.
The 60-year-old local resident was driving along Tantalla St when he and his dog were swept away.
Emergency services found the pair waiting on the roof of the man’s Ford Territory waiting to be rescued.
Police, Country Fire Authority and State Emergency Service personnel were able to use a rope to pull the duo out of the rapidly rising water.
The car is now fully submerged near Nardoo Creek.
Hot and humid conditions are likely to dominate the rest of the month, as temperatures are forecast to sit two to three degrees higher than the January average.
Temperatures have hit 27 degrees in the Victorian capital on Wednesday and are likely to spike on the weekend, with the Bureau of Meteorology expecting highs of 31 degrees on Sunday.
Originally published as ‘Life-threatening’: Victoria set to be smashed by more thunderstorms and flooding
