Victoria on storm alert as Geelong mops up
A car underwarter at Geelong Railway Station. Photo: ABC
Severe thunderstorms have struck in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs, causing minor flooding.
The storms come a day after a freak storm that’s been called “a one in 100-year event” thrashed the Geelong region.
The State Emergency Service says it received about 80 distress calls mid-afternoon on Thursday.
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“It seems to have been isolated to bayside areas. Our Cheltenham, Moorabbin and Frankston units were pretty busy,” an SES spokeswoman told AAP.
Most calls were for minor flooding and leaking roofs.
A severe thunderstorm warning remains in force for much of eastern Victoria.
SES crews have largely finished their clean-up from Wednesday’s severe storm in Geelong.
People were trapped in cars and businesses flooded as crews responded to 520 calls for help between 2.30pm and 10pm, the SES says.
Local SES crews had to call in reinforcements from other regions to assist in rescues and repairs after a month’s rain fell in 30 minutes, inundating Geelong’s streets so quickly that 15 people were unable to escape their cars.
There are no reports of any injuries.
On a farm in nearby Freshwater Creek dams overflowed and sheep were moved to higher ground as the deluge turned paddocks into lakes.
“It poured solidly for an hour and 40 minutes,” Freshwater Creek resident Marissa Mahon told AAP on Thursday.
“Walking around the property yesterday, everything was shin deep and when I checked the rain gauge we were on 75mm.”
Businesses in central Geelong were inundated as the rain overwhelmed stormwater drains, turning streets into rivers.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Michael Efron said the thunderstorm cell moved very slowly, causing the intense rainfall.
Avalon, near Geelong, recorded 72mm of rain from 9am Wednesday – more than twice its average January rainfall – with 53.8mm in just 30 minutes.
In Geelong, 44mm fell in the same period, with 24mm in just 20 minutes.
“From that intensity, we have determined that this was a one in 100-year event, so it was quite rare,” Mr Efron told AAP.
#Geelong businesses flooded – be safe! pic.twitter.com/KNkjZRhgfA
— Eleanor (@EleanorGreeen) January 27, 2016
Cars submerged in water outside the Traffic Accident Commission in Geelong. Photo: Jess Milvain/ABC
Geelong’s Eastern Beach after the city was hit by a severe thunderstorm and heavy rain. Photo: ABC