Victoria is reeling from an 'unprecedented' downpour on Thursday that left hundreds homes destroyed and thousands displaced, while Sydney braced for its 'soggiest weekend of summer'. Emergency Management Victoria's State Control Centre has defended the timing of warnings issued to holidaymakers along the surf coast, saying 20,000 people received a text alert telling them to go to higher ground. However, critics say how could they not predict 180 millimetres of rainfall in that catchment.
Severe storms are predicted for Sydney on Saturday and Sunday, with flash flooding possible into Sunday afternoon, particularly in coastal areas. The Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said it will be a 'very wet weekend' across eastern New South Wales, with heavy showers and thunderstorms. Heavy rain was recorded at Mount Cowley in the Otway ranges near Lorne on Thursday, exceeding the previous record of 123.2mm.
Flash flooding occurred at Wye River, Kennett, and Cumberland rivers after 180 millimetres of rain fell in just six hours. About 600 people were temporarily displaced, with 60 requiring emergency accommodation in Apollo Bay and Lorne. Campgrounds were flooded, and about 20 cars were washed into the ocean.
Colac mayor Jason Schram criticised the level of warnings given to holidaymakers. He said: "The big question I've got to those in charge is how could they not predict 180 millimetres of rainfall in that catchment? It's pretty messy with mud, debris and everyone's personal belongings, caravans, camping gear."
Emergency Management Victoria spokesperson Dharni Giri said the Wye River and Lorne were hit by an unprecedented weather event. She said: "We got over 180mm of rain in just a six-hour period... Because of the terrain where the rain fell, it accelerates the water flows down through the river systems coming off Mount Cowley."
The Bureau of Meteorology's Angus Hines warned that isolated falls of up to 200mm were possible in three days. Severe winds and significant flash flooding are expected along the Illawarra and south coast of NSW.
Victoria is also battling large bushfires, with as many as 289 homes destroyed. About 100 roads remain shut due to fires and floods. The climate crisis has made the country more vulnerable to extreme weather and natural disasters, according to a report from the Insurance Council of Australia.
Severe storms are predicted for Sydney on Saturday and Sunday, with flash flooding possible into Sunday afternoon, particularly in coastal areas. The Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said it will be a 'very wet weekend' across eastern New South Wales, with heavy showers and thunderstorms. Heavy rain was recorded at Mount Cowley in the Otway ranges near Lorne on Thursday, exceeding the previous record of 123.2mm.
Flash flooding occurred at Wye River, Kennett, and Cumberland rivers after 180 millimetres of rain fell in just six hours. About 600 people were temporarily displaced, with 60 requiring emergency accommodation in Apollo Bay and Lorne. Campgrounds were flooded, and about 20 cars were washed into the ocean.
Colac mayor Jason Schram criticised the level of warnings given to holidaymakers. He said: "The big question I've got to those in charge is how could they not predict 180 millimetres of rainfall in that catchment? It's pretty messy with mud, debris and everyone's personal belongings, caravans, camping gear."
Emergency Management Victoria spokesperson Dharni Giri said the Wye River and Lorne were hit by an unprecedented weather event. She said: "We got over 180mm of rain in just a six-hour period... Because of the terrain where the rain fell, it accelerates the water flows down through the river systems coming off Mount Cowley."
The Bureau of Meteorology's Angus Hines warned that isolated falls of up to 200mm were possible in three days. Severe winds and significant flash flooding are expected along the Illawarra and south coast of NSW.
Victoria is also battling large bushfires, with as many as 289 homes destroyed. About 100 roads remain shut due to fires and floods. The climate crisis has made the country more vulnerable to extreme weather and natural disasters, according to a report from the Insurance Council of Australia.
. It's not about predicting the future, it's about being prepared for the unexpected. We can't control the rain, but we can control how we respond to it. Emergency Management Victoria did what they could with the info they had, and yeah, maybe they could've done more, but let's not forget that mistakes happen too 
. The real question is, are we learning from this? Are we building stronger systems to deal with extreme weather? That's the lesson here, bro - adaptability is key 
... can't even imagine having to evacuate your home 'cause of floodwaters 
. I mean, I get that predicting severe weather is hard, but 180 millimetres in like 6 hours? That's wild 
. And now they're saying it could be one of the soggiest weekends of summer in Sydney... perfect timing for a trip, right? Not 
. At least everyone's safe, I guess? Fingers crossed for the recovery efforts, though 
Like, how do they not predict something like that?! 
I mean, 180 millimeters in just six hours? That's crazy! And what about those holidaymakers who got texted to go higher ground? Were they supposed to know it was gonna be that bad?! 
They must've been so scared. And the worst part is, all these homes and cars are gone... like, what are people supposed to do now? 
It's heartbreaking. We need some real help here, not just words from the government.
️ omg can u even believe the rain in victoria?! like i know it's summer but 180mm in one day? that's wild! 
and yeah colac mayor jason schram is kinda harsh but i get where he's coming from... how can u predict something like that? 
anyway, the silver lining is that it's making us realize we need to take care of our environment more. let's hope those bushfires don't get outta control 
! I was literally looking forward to heading down there for summer vibes and now I'm stuck thinking about flash floods and bushfires 
. 180mm in 6 hours is wild even for a storm chaser like me 
. The government's gotta step up their game, though, can't just rely on old-school forecasting methods 
. And what's with the timing of those warnings? Can we get some better tech to predict this stuff? 
. 180 millimeters of rain in just six hours? That's wild 
. And now Sydney is bracing for another wet weekend 
.
. The government should invest more in disaster preparedness and climate change research 
. And what about all the bushfires going on at the same time? It's like our country is getting hit from multiple angles 
. The damage could've been prevented if we had more accurate weather forecasting 
. We need to take action now to protect ourselves, our communities, and our environment 
.
I feel for those in Victoria who are dealing with the aftermath of that crazy storm. It's like, you can't predict when these things are gonna happen. 180mm of rain in just six hours? That's insane! 
. I mean, 180 millimeters of rain in just six hours? That's wild! And now they're saying there might be more rain and flooding in Sydney this weekend? It's like the weather is getting more unpredictable by the day 
.
. The climate crisis is real, folks, and it's going to keep getting worse unless we do something about it 
.
and seriously, 200mm isolated falls are possible in 3 days?! that's wild. anyway, i hope everyone is staying safe and dry (when they can get it, lol).
it's like disaster movie lol how do they even predict 180mm of rainfall in one spot tho? shouldn't they have some kinda weather genius team working 24/7 
! Like, how did they not predict 180 millimeters of rain in that catchment? It's like they knew it was gonna happen and just didn't want to warn anyone 
But you know who's not surprised? The emergency management team, because they're in on it too 
. Seriously though, this is just another example of how our climate is getting crazier by the minute 
️ before it's too late! 
at least they said 20000 people got a text alert but still 
. Emergency services are doing their best, but it's clear we need to up our climate game ASAP 
what's new in australia? they say its an unprecedented downpour but come on 180 millimeters in just 6 hours? how hard is it to predict that kinda stuff? 
Emergency Management Victoria really needs to step up their game! I'm reading these warnings for holidaymakers and it's like "oh no, go to higher ground"? Like what if they're on the other side of town? How are we supposed to evacuate thousands of people in just a few minutes? 
it just feels like the climate crisis is getting worse by the day 
I feel bad for all those people in Victoria who lost their homes and had to evacuate. It's crazy that it rained so much in such a short time. 180mm in just six hours is insane! 