In the Gippsland region of Victoria, increasing floodwaters converted a town into an island, forcing two council employees to be rescued.
After several days of intense rain, there are currently seven watch and act alerts in the area; nevertheless, the river levels have started to drop, despite the initial threat of isolating coastal villages.
The major road in Mallacoota was closed for several hours before opening up again in the afternoon.
Residents reported over 100 calls for assistance as a result of flooded roads, damaged property, downed trees, and stranded cars.
Livestock had to be moved by farmers to higher ground.
A resident of Mallacoota said, “The ocean is absolutely roaring out with the seawater meeting the freshwater.”
Prior to this, East Gippsland Shire Mayor Tom Crook informed 3AW that in the event that the waterway peaked, the major road into the township of Beck River would probably close.
In the last 24 hours, the catchments of the Cann, Genoa, and Bemm rivers received between 50 and 120 mm of rain.
Even after the brunt of the extreme weather had passed, meteorologist Angus Hines told Today that it wasn’t quite finished.
“We still anticipate further rain to (fall on) the soggy, saturated areas in the next couple of days,” he stated.
“The intensity has come down but there is more incoming showery weather today and through the weekend for eastern Victoria and east NSW, two of those areas which have been hit hardest by rain and flooding over the last few days.”
Following severe flooding that struck Victoria’s north earlier this week, roads were also closed, forcing the closure of a school and other businesses.
At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Swan Hill recorded 85.4 mm of precipitation, making it the wettest day in 25 years.
