Flooding, fires, building damage as storm ravages Ballarat

Video shows a Ballarat woman trapped in her car on the side of the Midland Highway during one of the region’s worst storms on record.

A Ballarat woman was forced to take shelter in her car during one of the region’s worst storms on record.

Clare Linane was stuck in the wild weather on the Midland Highway on Wednesday afternoon as she was driving to get her daughter from work.

“I reached the top of the Sulky hill and started to come down towards Creswick but driving any further was impossible,” she said.

Ms Linane, 51, says she was forced to lay sideways across her seats, hoping it would protect her from nearby trees and debris.

“I laid down until visibility cleared slightly then decided to try to crawl forwards until reached an area without trees around,” she said.

Ms Linane said it was the “most terrifying weather event” she had seen.

She said there was fierce hail, rain and flooding as well as large gum trees swaying nearby.

“I tried to phone my husband because I was so frightened, but he couldn’t hear me over the noise — the hail was smashing the car,” Ms Linane said.

Once the wind and rain subsided Ms Linane was still stuck at a flood point for 45 minutes before the SES arrived to clear a fallen tree.

It comes as Ballarat braces for more wild weather after another severe thunderstorm warning was issued on Thursday afternoon.

The region was battered by storms on Wednesday when almost 100 buildings were damaged and more than 100 areas flooded.

SES Victoria responded to 215 calls for help across Ballarat east, Ballarat North and Creswick.

There were 128 calls for flooding 83 for building damage and 19 for trees down, a spokeswoman from SES Victoria said.

Supplied Editorial Flooding on Mair Street, Ballarat.

Supplied Editorial Flooding on Mair Street, Ballarat.

A lightning strike near a main highway. Picture: Facebook

Areas were inundated with water as extreme weather lashed the region. Picture: Facebook

In one operation near Invermay Primary School, three people had to be rescued from their car by SES volunteers when water rose up to their knees.

On Mair Street, a man was seen wading through knee-high water.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for a large part of the state on Wednesday, warning of heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and large hailstones in locations including Seymour, Maryborough, Castlemaine, Kyneton, Ballarat, and Bacchus Marsh.

The State Emergency Service advised people to avoid travel if possible, to stay indoors, and to monitor weather warnings.