Four people rescued from floodwaters in Victoria

Dramatic vision has been released of the moment four people were winched to safety after their four-wheel drive was swept away in floodwaters in Victoria’s west Gippsland region. 

It is understood they were attempting to cross the Macalister River at the Burgoyne Track, south of Licola, about 8pm on Thursday when the vehicle stalled and drifted 25 metres downstream.

Three women in their 20s and a 54-year-old man were forced to climb onto the roof of the vehicle and used a satellite phone to call for help.

The rescued group were cold and wet but unharmed.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said parts of the state had seen widespread falls of about 150 millimetres to 250 millimetres.

“Particularly through our elevated areas around near Mount Hotham, through Mount Buffalo, then all the way down to around the Bendigo area,” Narramore said.

“All that rain that fell in the mountains is kind of now draining down from the mountains into our rivers, creeks and streams.”

The deluge has turned them into dangerous torrents.

SES state agency commander Chris Brockwell encouraged Victorians to stay safe.

“We wish we didn’t have to attend to those flood rescues because they shouldn’t occur in the first place if people weren’t driving in the areas that they shouldn’t be,” Brockwell said.

“Nothing is worth your life in crossing flood water.”

The warning comes after SES crews had to rescue two people stranded on the roof of their car north of Daylesford in Glenlyon yesterday morning. 

“If it’s flooded, forget it,” Brockwell said.