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Prepare for the worst: Thousands of Australians are warned to stock up ahead of a ‘significant rainstorm’ that will wreak havoc – and it starts within HOUR
- Weather agency warning for ‘intensive’ rainfall for large parts of Victoria, Tasmania
- Floods can cause falls up to 100mm in central and northern Victoria with rivers
- Weather forecasts also warn of severe thunderstorms and damaging winds
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Parts of Australia have been warned to prepare for an impending ‘major rain event’ that will bring torrential rains, flash flooding, thunderstorms and dangerous winds, the weather bureau says.
‘Severe thunderstorms’ and up to 100mm of rain are expected to hit central and northern Victoria on Wednesday evening and Thursday, with gusts of wind reaching 100km/h in some places.
Residents in Tasmania are also on alert with a warning of “intensive rainfall and damaging winds” across the north of the state from late Wednesday into the following day.
In the southernmost state, up to 120mm of rain could fall on Thursday and up to 200mm at higher elevations.
The weather bureau warned that this could mean “dangerous and life-threatening flooding” and landslides for the interior of northwestern Tasmania.
Parts of Australia have been warned to prepare for an approaching ‘significant rainstorm’ that will bring torrential rains, flash flooding, thunderstorms and dangerous winds
Large parts of Victoria and Tasmania warned of possible ‘life-threatening flooding’ for the next two days
Mildura, in northern Victoria, could be one of the hardest hit, with torrential rain from Wednesday evening lasting for most of the next 24 hours.
The Mildura SES has issued an urgent warning to local drivers not to drive on flooded roads and to reconsider the need to drive at all while the Murray River is under a flood warning.
Several rivers are expected to flood, including the Campaspe River near Rochester and Elmore, which could rise nine meters by Saturday and threaten up to 700 homes in Rochester.
Significant rain showers are expected in Victoria and Tasmania starting Wednesday evening and for much of Thursday
Much of northern Tasmania is expected to receive ‘intensive’ rain on Wednesday and Thursday, leading to ‘life-threatening flooding’
Locals prepared by sandbagging hundreds of homes and the Rochester SES warned it expects the city to be evacuated Friday.
“The city of Rochester has been predicted to be cut in half and almost entirely landlocked,” Rochester SES member Judith Gledhill told the ABC.
“It’s important that people leave before the peak comes.”
Moderate flood warnings have also been issued for the Murray and Loddon rivers and minor flood warnings for the Avoca, Kiewa and Snowy rivers.
People have already been evacuated from the northeast of the state in the Alpine region.
The evacuation warning is for Falls Creek and Bogong Village due to a ‘slow moving active landslide’ on the Bogong High Plains Road above the village.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued Wednesday afternoon for ‘slow moving’ storms in western Victoria, south of Horsham and around Halls Gap.
A landslide has occurred on the Bogong-High Plains Road near Bogong Village in the Alpine region of Victoria, triggering an evacuation warning
Heavy rain is expected in Melbourne from Wednesday evening with up to 50mm falling in the city on Thursday.
Meanwhile, northern Western Australia is facing an extreme fire hazard warning across the country.
“Dry conditions combined with moderate to fresh southeast to southwest winds will create an extreme fire risk in the far west of Pilbara on Wednesday.”