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Melbourne storms: Flash flooding, mass road closures across Victoria

UPDATE: SES crews were called to save a family who was trapped by a collapsed retaining wall while another family has been left homeless as Victoria recovers from yesterday’s wild storms.

REBEKAH CAVANAGH, BRIDGET DAVIES, CASSIE ZERVOS and MATHEW LANGDON
3 min read
December 30, 2016 - 6:19PM
Flash flooding affects Melbourne's Kings Way

UPDATE: SES crews were called to save a family who was trapped by a collapsed retaining wall while another family has been left homeless as Victoria recovers from yesterday’s wild storms.

Beachgoers are also being warned to be careful today due to poor water quality at most Melbourne beaches due to stormwater run-off.

State Emergency Services volunteers abused over storm road closures

Families trapped, left homeless by Melbourne storm

The news follows a busy night for Emergency services personnel, who were flooded with more than 2000 calls for help as thunderstorms lashed Victoria and caused havoc on the train network.

A State Control Centre spokeswoman said 1800 calls were recorded until 7.30pm last night, with a further 250 in the past 12 hours.

She said a “significant number” of people had to be rescued from cars caught in flood waters.

The deluge, which saw a man floating down Flinders St on a boogie board, also flooded a number of train lines.

The Belgrave line is set to remain closed between Belgrave and Upper Ferntree Gully until at least Saturday morning due to flood damage on the track.

Replacement bus services will operate until the track is reopened.

Crews are working to repair track damage and assess the safety of restoring services.

Dandenong and Cranbourne trains, as well as outbound Frankston services, have also been affected by the storms because of damage to the concourse ceiling at South Yarra Station.

STAY UP TO DATE WITH EMERGENCY WARNINGS AT EMERGENCY.VIC.GOV.AU

MELBOURNE FLOODS: SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PICS, TWEETS AND LATEST RADAR

A car submerged in floodwaters on the corner of Station St and McNicol Rd in Belgrave. Picture: Michael Colling
A car submerged in floodwaters on the corner of Station St and McNicol Rd in Belgrave. Picture: Michael Colling

Metro spokesman Marcus Williams said there were a “small number” of cancellations because trains were out of position this morning.

“Trains are strategically placed across the network ... but because of the number of line suspensions and storm damage we were able to get our trains to their normal positions overnight,” he said.

“That means we need to cancel a small number of services.”

Flash flooding in the Yarra Ranges caused havoc as SES crews were called to save a family who was trapped by a collapsed retaining wall while another was left homeless due to water damage.

Flood warnings remain in place for the Yarra River at Heidelberg, Fairfield and Abbotsford.

Melbourne’s catchments at Werribee, Maribyrnong, Yarra, Dandenong and Bunyip remain under flood watch.

Water levels in bulging creeks and rivers, including in the Merri Creek at Coburg and Northcote, are falling this morning.

The State Control Centre spokeswoman again urged people not to drive through floodwaters, warning that they could hit unseen debris.

“Water levels are expected to continue falling throughout the day but some impacts of flooding still remain,” she said.

“There was continued lightning activity and thunderstorms overnight but that is likely to finish today.”

People watch on as the Elster Canal breaks its banks. Picture: Mark Stewart
People watch on as the Elster Canal breaks its banks. Picture: Mark Stewart
The Elster Canal flooding at the corner of Union St and Hawthorn Rd in Brighton East. Picture: Anthony Hanna
The Elster Canal flooding at the corner of Union St and Hawthorn Rd in Brighton East. Picture: Anthony Hanna

The Environment Protection Authority advises that Victorians should not enter waterways or beaches for up to 48 hours after the heavy rain because of a higher risk of illness.

The authority has forecast “poor water quality” at Port Phillip Bay’s 36 beaches today.

It also warned that they heavy rain may have caused sewerage overflow and encouraged those affected to keep children and pets away from the area until it can be disinfected.

Mt Hotham received Victoria’s top rainfall with 158mm falling since 9am yesterday.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Peter Blake said it may have been a record.

“It is one of the higher daily totals we will ever get,” he said.

“We are checking to whether it is a record but it is up there with the extremes.”

Matong North, on the Ovens River, was inundated with 120mm of rain, Viewbank received 83mm and 67mm fell in Monbulk. Ferny Creek also received 64mm.

Elsternwick Park under water. Picture: Cassie Zervos
Elsternwick Park under water. Picture: Cassie Zervos
Heavy flooding on the corner of St Kilda and Grosvenor streets in Brighton. Picture: Hamish Blair
Heavy flooding on the corner of St Kilda and Grosvenor streets in Brighton. Picture: Hamish Blair
A car tries to make its way through flooding in Hawthorn Rd, Brighton East. Picture: Peter Farrar
A car tries to make its way through flooding in Hawthorn Rd, Brighton East. Picture: Peter Farrar
Reader Menchi Schneier sent in this photo of his sons, Eli, 11, and Dovi, 12, floating in the front yard of their Caulfield home.
Reader Menchi Schneier sent in this photo of his sons, Eli, 11, and Dovi, 12, floating in the front yard of their Caulfield home.
A limo gets caught in heavy flooding on the corner of St Kilda and Grosvenor streets in Brighton. Picture: Hamish Blair
A limo gets caught in heavy flooding on the corner of St Kilda and Grosvenor streets in Brighton. Picture: Hamish Blair
Melbourne weather: Flooding on Clarendon St

Mr Blake said thunderstorm activity had cleared Melbourne and was heading across eastern Victoria, near Shepparton and the La Trobe Valley.

As the “tropical moisture” left Melbourne, humidity levels across the city dropped.

“It certainly has been humid,” Mr Blake said.

“We have dragged all that humidity down from the tropical moisture and low pressure systems over Western Australia.

“That is why it has felt so sticky.”

Mr Blake said Melbourne would have a “benign” New Year’s Eve.

The bureau has forecast possible showers with a top of 24C.

A flooded street off New St, Brighton. Picture: Mathew Langdon
A flooded street off New St, Brighton. Picture: Mathew Langdon

LATEST RADAR:

Flooding in Elwood after heavy rains. Picture: Mark Stewart
Flooding in Elwood after heavy rains. Picture: Mark Stewart
A pair riding a motorbike make their way through heavy flooding on the corner of St Kilda and Grosvenor streets in Brighton. Picture: Hamish Blair
A pair riding a motorbike make their way through heavy flooding on the corner of St Kilda and Grosvenor streets in Brighton. Picture: Hamish Blair
Flooding on Hawthorn Rd, Brighton East. Picture: Peter Farrar
Flooding on Hawthorn Rd, Brighton East. Picture: Peter Farrar

MORE STORM TWEETS:

Picture special: Melbourne’s wild weather

Heavy rain, strong winds, storms to sweep across Victoria

cassandra.zervos@news.com.au

@cassiezervos

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/severe-weather-warning-issued-for-victoria-as-melbourne-sweats-through-summer-heat/news-story/7db2ff8170a624e81ccdf910c9b4de5f