Eastern suburbs hit hard once again

The Maroondah council area had already experienced serious flooding earlier that year, and was once again hit hard.

Croydon bore the brunt of the storm – in particular the area around the Croydon Civic Square and Lusher Road. Drivers found themselves trapped in flash flooding, unable to move as water surged around their cars. Within hours, emergency services were overwhelmed, answering hundreds of calls for help.

One resident recalled the moment their home was swallowed by floodwater. “It started coming in the front door, coming in the back door. What do you do?”

In Langwarrin, families waded through ankle-deep water inside their homes, trying to salvage their belongings. One resident stood helplessly in their drenched living room, while their neighbours watched as floodwaters rushed into their garage, leaving behind mud and debris.

“We’ve only lived here ten weeks. Everything is just ruined.”

Southeastern suburbs struggle to cope

Across Melbourne’s south-east, stormwater drains struggled to cope with the sheer volume of rain. 30mm fell in just 30 minutes, flooding streets and sending water rushing through parks, reserves and homes.

In Frankston, nearly 50mm of rain fell in just eight hours. Hail battered rooftops, and a tree came crashing down on a parked car. There was chaos on the roads, as police were forced to close the Moorooduc Freeway when cars found themselves stranded in deep water.

SES crews worked tirelessly throughout the night, urging people to take extra care. “People shouldn't be driving, riding, or walking in floodwater,” an emergency services spokesperson warned. “We’ve already had one death this year in Victoria due to driving in floodwaters, and we don’t want another.”