WET: Clare and Cassie Schilling, 13, had nowhere to hide from the downpour. Picture: Jim Aldersey
FLOODING: Water pooled across the main street of Eaglehawk yesterday. Picture: Emily Rogers
PARTS of Eaglehawk were flooded and lowered boom gates caused traffic headaches after 18 millimetres of rain was dumped on Bendigo in 15 minutes yesterday afternoon.
A severe storm hit the region about 4.15pm yesterday, with the north west region SES units responding to 32 call outs and many businesses in Eaglehawk reporting flooding.
Boom gates around the city were down for more than four hours, which V/Line spokesman James Kelly said was due to a signalling fault caused by the heavy rain, which automatically lowers them.
Sergeant Ilan Livingstone said diverting traffic at level crossings kept Bendigo’s police officers busy yesterday evening. “All the lights at level crossings went out, so our night was turned upside down because of that,” he said.
SES spokesman Toby Borella said the Bendigo unit had four call outs yesterday afternoon, including flooding to houses in White Hills and East Bendigo and the delivery of sand-bags to a house under threat of flooding in Bendigo.
California Gully resident and photographer Emily Rogers said she was in Eaglehawk’s Bendigo Bank branch when water started leaking through a light.
“We thought it was just a leak, then the panelling in the ceiling started making a noise and caving in, so I decided it was time then to go outside while the staff ran around with buckets,” she said.
Eaglehawk’s Railway Station Hotel owner Dave Torr said rainwater was running down his walls, saturating the carpet.
“The room out the back got flooded,” he said.
“When it comes down that heavy and in that short a time you can’t do much.
“It’s just a hiccup and something you don’t want to put up with, but it’s nothing that can be helped.”
Nearby takeaway shop Joe’s on the Go was also affected by the deluge.
“I was sweeping my little heart out and I still couldn’t keep up and I got drenched,” owner Joe Fantangelo said.
“It’s all cleaned up now but it was just the nuisance of it.”
Rushworth also received flash-flooding, with Rushworth Bakery experiencing water-damage and police blocking roads for some time after the storm.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Richard Carlion said tropical air mass and humid conditions caused the storm but drier conditions were on the way.
“The less humid air through the south will stabilise the condition and we are headed for quite a dry period for the next five to six days,” he said.
