Overview
- A stretch of the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and Skenes Creek remains closed for safety assessments, with caravan parks at Lorne, Cumberland and Wye River shut and widespread hazards including debris, mud and landslip risk.
- Authorities report no fatalities; a child was airlifted to hospital, at least six rescues were carried out including an aerial winch, and hundreds of holidaymakers were displaced with relief centres operating in Lorne and Apollo Bay.
- Rain gauges near Lorne recorded about 178–186 mm in roughly four to six hours, breaking local records and triggering flash flooding that swept dozens of vehicles and caravans into rivers and the ocean.
- Emergency officials defended the timing of alerts, noting severe thunderstorm warnings and emergency messages to more than 10,000 phones, but said the small, steep catchments gave very limited lead time.
- The immediate danger has eased locally, but clean-up will take time and forecasters flag further hazardous weather for the NSW South Coast this weekend with a potential return of severe thunderstorms to western Victoria early next week.