SES volunteers rescue people from Victoria floodwaters as thousands remain under evacuation

Volunteers have performed a dramatic flood rescue as more towns fall into the path of surging water.

Two men have been rescued from the roof of their car as floodwaters surge through regional Victoria.

SES volunteers performed the rescue about 4.35am on Friday after the men drove into floodwaters in Bairnsdale and became stuck on the roof of the car.

An evacuation warning remains in place for the Port of Sale and it is still not safe to return.

The Thomson River is likely to exceed the moderate flood level (3m) on Friday morning and could climb to the major flood level.

Two men were rescued from their car in Bairnsdale. Picture: Vic Emergency

Residents who have not evacuated should now seek higher ground to shelter.

Three homes upstream of the Port of Sale have already been inundated, according to Victoria SES.

A relief centre has been opened at the Gippsland regional sporting complex where residents can shelter.

Premier Jacinta Allan said emergency services were preparing for more properties to become overwhelmed by floodwaters.

“We expect there will be some homes inundated,” she told ABC Radio National on Friday.

@vline_gippsland is the best way to avoid all the dangerous potholes on the highway between Bairnsdale and Melbourne 🚂 #gippsnewspic.twitter.com/xwIIuHTsyD

— David Hollis (@GippsNews) October 5, 2023

“In terms of the actual number of properties inundated, that is yet to be fully assessed given the floodwaters are still rising.”

Victoria has been lashed by two weather extremes over the last week, with bushfires followed by storms and dangerous flooding.

Several fires were burning at the emergency warning level through Gippsland earlier in the week, forcing residents out of their homes under evacuation orders.

Roads are blocked by floods. Picture: Facebook

A car floating in floodwaters in Bairnsdale. Picture: Facebook

The town of Bairnsdale has been inundated by floods. Picture: Facebook

But significant rainfall quickly flipped the state’s emergency warning map from fires to flood watch.

Thousands were told it was “not safe to return” to their home as floodwaters rose in Tinamba and Newry, about 200km east of Melbourne, on Thursday.

Lake Glenmaggie is continuing to release 56,000 megalitres of water a day.

The emergency warning has been downgraded on Friday, but locals have been advised it is not yet safe to return home.