Urgent rescue as flood waters rage

SES volunteers were called to assist a woman caught in rising flood waters outside the southeast town of Alberton just before 11.30pm on Friday.

Crews were able to pull the woman from the scene at the intersection of Gelliondale Rd and Forest Lodge Rd before police arrived.

Major flood warnings have been issued for inland areas and towns along the Victorian coast as heavy rainfall is forecast to persist throughout the weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued major warnings for the Avon and Thomson Rivers, about 30 minutes north of Sale, and moderate warnings are in place for the Macalister, Mitchell and Snowy Rivers.

Downstream areas are under watch and act alerts as river levels threaten to rise above moderate, with Victoria Emergency warning 30 to 50mm of rain is forecast to flood catchments on Saturday and Sunday.

Gippsland MP Darren Chester warned roads, public areas and homes were being affected by floodwaters and landslides from Mallacoota in the state’s northeast, all the way down to Traralgon in the south.

“Please avoid entering flooded areas and allow the emergency services to do their jobs safely,” Mr Chester posted to Facebook.

The main road in Mallacoota was reportedly cut off as a result of flood waters on Friday before being reopened later that afternoon.

Experts have warned while most of the wild weather appears to have passed, there is likely to be further heavy rain on the way.

“We still anticipate further rain to (fall on) the soggy, saturated areas in the next couple of days,” BOM senior metrologist Angus Hines told Today.

“The intensity has come down but there is more incoming showery weather today and through the weekend for eastern Victoria and east NSW, two of those areas which have been hit hardest by rain and flooding over the last few days.”