Two drivers have discovered the hard way flood waters are no place for their vehicles.
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Albury SES volunteers were left disappointed on Tuesday morning when occupants of a sedan attempted to cross a dirt track on Williams Road in Table Top, which had been inundated with 70cm of flowing water.
The region was on flood watch after 21mm of rain fell in Albury in the 24 hours to 9am Tuesday.
Albury SES controller Scott Richter said overflowing creeks caused flooding on the road, which a sedan managed to drive all the way through before breaking down at the end.
“The occupants were able to get themselves out safely,” he said.
“(A water level of 70cm) is certainly enough to push a person or a car over if the water is flowing.”
Volunteers kept an eye on the car until it was towed away.
“If the dirt road underneath had been washed away, it could have been a different story,” Mr Richter said.
“They were lucky.
“It’s certainly disappointing considering the messages that go out time and time again.”
A man staying in a caravan by the Ovens River in Wangaratta had a fright when he discovered flood waters were rising and his car had broken down.
Wangaratta SES volunteer Warren Robertson told The Border Mail it was a rare problem, but colleagues were happy to assist and ensure the man did not become trapped.
“That’s what we’re here for, to help them out the best we can,” he said.
The level of flooding in creeks running off the King River in Oxley and Milawa was described as the highest in about 10 years.
The river had reached a height of 4.07m at Docker Road by Tuesday, just short of the major flood level of 4.1m.
Bandiana and Benalla also experienced flooding, as did sections of Holbrook north of the border.
SES North East region spokeswoman Sue Sheldrick said there had been reports of homes isolated from roads due to flooding around Milawa, but none had been inundated with water and residents were well-prepared. “(The water) is now heading down towards the flat land and spreading out a bit,” she said.
“It’s clear skies until early next week, which is great – it would be terrible if we had any more rain.”
