Flood in Victoria: the Impact of Extreme Weather

At the beginning of this year, 2026, Australia had extreme weather. After a heat wave that finally caused a terrible fire, Victoria was again hit by flash floods. Both natural disasters occurred after the heavy rain in several days. The flood in Victoria, which occurred on January 16^th, 2026. The residential areas, public facilities, and infrastructures were hit and submerged by this extreme flood.

Facts of the Flood in Victoria

A series of natural disasters hit Victoria, a state in Australia. After the heat wave which caused terrible fire, flooding occurred also with a serious impact. Behind this extreme flooding, there are several facts that need to be known.

1. Flash Floods with Terrible Impact

The flooding that hit Victoria was considered extreme, consisting of flash floods with strong currents. The worst-affected areas of Victoria were from Lorne to the Wye River. Hundreds of residents were evacuated and moved to refugee areas since their homes were submerged and some severely damaged. Major roads as main infrastructure were damaged.

2. Caused by Heavy Rains

Heavy rain in Victoria was the main causal factor of the flash flood. Although in several hours, the impact of this heavy rain was significant. The daily rainfall record was broken with this four-hour heavy rain. Flash flood occurred after the river overflowed and its strong currents dragged some cars into the sea.

3. Accompanied by a Thunderstorm

The heavy rain in Victoria that caused extreme floods was also triggered by the terrible thunderstorms. These thunderstorms struck along the southwest coast. It occurred on Thursday, January 15^th, 2026, in the afternoon.

4. Sign of Extreme Weather Transition

Natural phenomena such as extreme weather require vigilance. A series of starkly contrasting extreme weather phenomena has hit Victoria. Following a heat wave that triggered a big fire, Victoria was hit by heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms that caused flooding. The flood is categorized as extreme flooding that is marked by strong currents. It is called a flash flood.

Based on these facts, flash floods are known to represent the transition from extreme weather to the rainy season. The two are very different. In addition to the impact of the flooding, residents experienced a drastic temperature difference from hot to cold.

Disaster Handling Program from the Government

Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch assessed that the situation at hand was very complex. Extreme flash flood in Victoria require immediate action due to its serious impact across various regions. Some of the government's disaster management programs are as follows.

1. Disaster Emergency Warning System

An emergency warning system is given when a potential disaster is detected. To realize flood mitigation, a volunteer agency which is the Victoria State Emergency Service, provides State Emergency Services (SES).

The emergency warning signal is given when the potential of flood is detected. It allows residents in vulnerable areas to prepare for evacuation with assistance from the SES. The warning signal was given in the area predicted to be hit by flood. Victoria has a popular tourist destination as predicted area. It is the Great Ocean Road, which is well known for its beautiful coastal scenery.

2. Effective Evacuation

Due to the impact of heavy rain and extreme flooding, around 300 people were evacuated to safer locations. All of victims live in refugee areas and the residential areas were temporarily abandoned. Moreover, the majority of flood victims were tourists on vacation, not only residents. The government distributed aid to all victims. Funds were also provided to compensate for their financial losses.

3. Recovery

After the evacuation process at the flood-affected locations is complete, the recovery process begins. Affected settlements, public facilities, and infrastructure are immediately repaired to allow normal activities to return to normal.

4. Outreach

After an extreme change in natural phenomena, an evaluation is necessary to prevent a recurrence. This can be done by enhancing risk mitigation programs before a disaster occurs.

The effective program is an outreach program to deliver flood awareness to the public. It can increase their knowledge about self-evacuation procedures before a disaster occurs. The purpose is to speed up evacuation processes, increase safety, and minimize losses.

The transition from a heat wave to a rainy season is signaled by flood in Victoria. This region actually has climate change, with increasingly frequent extreme weather patterns. The government can prevent or reduce the risk of future extreme disasters by improving the disaster warning system. It can be realized by providing emergency message alerts.

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