A sudden record breaking downpour dumped about 170mm of rain near Lorne in a matter of hours on Thursday, sending rivers surging through holiday parks and cutting key sections of the Great Ocean Road as emergency crews rushed to move people to higher ground.
With debris and possible landslides endangering homes and roads, VicEmergency issued an emergency warning for the Wye River, Kennett River, Cumberland River, Lorne, and surrounding areas, advising people to stay inside and avoid swiftly moving floodwater.
Video from the Wye River mouth showed vehicles being swept off the foreshore and out to sea while other cars were pinned against a bridge as floodwater funnelled through the narrow valley and into the Southern Ocean.
Separate footage from Lorne showed the Erskine River spilling across low lying areas with the town’s only supermarket forced to close as mud and water moved through the shopping strip.
In Cumberland River, a police helicopter winched a man in his 60s from a roof, while police also reported people seeking refuge on the roof of the general store at Wye River before making their way down as waters eased.
The State Emergency Service said it was working through multiple evacuations at caravan parks and assisting people trapped in vans as water rose quickly.
Alistair Drayton, chief officer of operations for the State Emergency Service, described the totals as significantly off the charts compared to local records and stated that the intensity was unlike anything crews had recently encountered in the area.
Since 9 a.m., 166mm have been recorded in the Mount Cowley area, according to a VicEmergency update. The flood response also turned the Great Ocean Road into a dead end in places.
Traffic authorities advised that sections were closed because of flooding and the risk of slips with closures reported between Fairhaven and Skenes Creek and additional local closures as crews assessed damage.
V Line coach services that normally run along the coast were detouring inland and skipping stops at Kennett River and Wye River adding to the disruption for residents and holidaymakers in peak summer season.
Emergency relief centres were opened in Lorne and Apollo Bay and some evacuees gathered at local venues while authorities accounted for people from affected parks and properties.
The damage will sharpen questions about warning times and communications in a region that can be isolated quickly when the coast road is cut.
The Great Ocean Road is both a major tourism drawcard and a critical link for small communities and even short closures can disrupt supplies, staffing and trade for local businesses already dealing with a volatile summer of extreme weather.
