BRIDGEWATER resembled a “war zone” yesterday after the Loddon River burst its banks on the weekend for the second time in just 24 hours sending millions of litres of water into the small tourist town.Residents and holidaymakers were confronted with a town almost completely ruined when water subsided early yesterday.About 50 homes and several businesses, including the local pub and caravan park, were affected, leaving residents homeless and a damage bill in the millions.Flooding first hit the town on Friday after the Loddon River burst its banks after a night of torrential rain.The water quietly subsided overnight but again rose on Saturday morning, peaking at eight metres – two-and-a-half metres beyond the major flood warning level.Susanne Richards owns a cabin at the Bridgewater Public Caravan Park, which she visits once a week. The Ballarat resident was unable to access the town on Friday morning because of the floodwaters. When she finally got in, water was at shoulder height inside her cabin.“It’s just devastating. Words can’t really explain what it looks like,’’ she said.“There are boats in trees, there are caravans upside down. A caravan that is usually about 50 metres up the road from me is now jammed into the side of my cabin.’’Ms Richards and her two sons Luke, 23, and Beau, 21, were attempting to clean up the area and salvage what they could yesterday afternoon.She said everything that was under water two days ago was now covered with mud and that almost everything in sight was ruined.“Everything is just a mess,’’ she said.“But no lives were lost, we didn’t get hurt, we are obviously very grateful for that. “We’ve lost everything but we can start over where a lot of people can’t, so we are fortunate in a lot of ways.’’Roads leading in and out of the town were eventually opened yesterday afternoon, allowing emergency crews to gain entry and start the clean-up.Leading Senior Constable Mick Balazs, the town’s sole police officer, said it was too early to assess the full impact of the floods but the town would inevitably require a lot of help to recover.He told The Age that dozens of residents had started sandbagging and saved properties – including his own house – as the threat increased on Friday. But they could not save the police station. “I work out of my car now and the house,’’ he said.“But the main thing is we get the pub back up and running.... if we get that open it will keep the spirits up.“Life goes on.”