Emergency services across Victoria and Tasmania are bracing for more severe weather as a powerful cold front moves towards Melbourne, with destructive winds and heavy rainfall battering the southeast of Australia.
In Victoria, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent reported that over 600 homes have already been damaged, and 35,000 residents are without power.
The State Emergency Service (SES) is urging residents along the southwest and south-east coasts, the northeast ranges, alpine areas, and parts of Melbourne to brace for further destructive winds. Warnings have also been issued for coastal regions, advising people to avoid the surf and any exposed areas.
The SES’s Chief Operations Officer, Tim Wiebusch, emphasized the importance of securing loose outdoor items and avoiding outdoor activities, especially along the coastline and Port Phillip Bay, where dangerous conditions are expected.
Residents along Tasmania’s Derwent River prepare for major flooding amid worsening weather conditions.In Tasmania, communities along the Derwent River, including Meadowbank, Glenora, and New Norfolk, are preparing for major flooding. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a major flood warning for the Derwent River and the Meander River, with water levels expected to rise significantly over the next 24 hours.
Residents in these areas are advised to prepare for potential isolation and to move to safer locations if necessary.
Tasmania’s SES Executive Director, Mick Lowe, has urged locals to remain vigilant, as properties could be inundated, and roads may become inaccessible.
Strong winds continue to affect the north and west coasts of Tasmania, with gusts reaching up to 100 km/h. The wild weather has also led to widespread power outages, affecting 30,000 customers across Tasmania. Restoration efforts are underway, but it may take several days to fully restore power.