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Three cars have been swept out to sea and a popular campground inundated at Victoria’s Wye River on Thursday.
Caravan Parks on rivers all along the stretch of Great Ocean Road are now being evacuated including at Carlisle River and Cumberland River. Lorne Foreshore caravan park is also now being evacuated due to heavy flooding.
Flooding at Wye River on January 15.Credit: Rebecca Scott
The Great Ocean Road is now closed both ways between Skenes Creek and Wye River, and 6500 homes in the region are without power as of 3pm.
Footage posted to social media and received by this masthead show multiple cars being swept into the ocean at Wye River. Further footage taken at the Big4 shows sections of the holiday park underwater in rapid floodwaters.
A popular beach town on the Great Ocean Road, Wye River is roughly 150 kilometres from Melbourne, and is a short drive from Lorne.
The State Emergency Service issued a flash flood emergency warning at 2.36pm for Wye River, Kennett River, Cumberland River, Lorne and surrounds. The warning states that residents in these areas are in danger and should move indoors immediately to shelter away from floodwater.
Melbourne woman Rebecca Scott was camping at the Big4 park with her daughter when the river broke its banks about 1pm.
“Suddenly the water was just coming up,” Scott told this masthead. “You know that feeling, that moment in time when you’re like, ‘this is a flood’. This is dangerous waters.”
Scott described a frantic scene as campers attempted to unplug electrical equipment and save essentials. She was forced to abandon her tent, bedding, and camp kitchen to flee in her car as the park’s playground became a “reservoir”.
Two cars being washed out to sea in Wye River on January 15. Credit: Indi Mackenzie
“We’re driving past campsite submerged, people running towards their campsites in shock,” she said.
Scott’s exit was eventually blocked by rising water at the park’s gates, forcing her to abandon her vehicle and evacuate on foot to the Wye River pub.
Michelle Mackenzie, who is holidaying in Lorne and was at the Wye River pub for lunch when the flooding became serious, described seeing eskies and chairs being washed away as the pub became “chockers” with people evacuated from the local campgrounds.
“There’s three cars now out at sea,” she told The Age.
Mackenzie said there were multiple fire trucks stationed in the town and the main bridge crossing the river had been closed.
The weather bureau recorded 166mm of rain in the Mt Cowley area in the hours since 9am on Thursday.
Residents have been urged to park cars undercover and away from trees, and to contact family members and neighbours.
The SES warned that floodwater can rise quickly and heavy rainfall has increased the risk of landslides in the Otways. Drivers have been urged not to enter floodwater and to call Triple Zero (000) in a life-threatening emergency.
More to come.
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