Melbourne weather: Woman falls into flooded drain as rain strikes Victoria – nobody heard cries for help

A woman was swept away into a stormwater drain amid wild weather lashing Victoria – with nobody able to hear her screams for help over the rushing water.

The 58-year-old slipped down an embankment just before 9pm on Monday and ended up in the Raglan St drain in Daylesford, northwest of Melbourne.

The woman was swept away in rushing water for some time with floodwaters reaching as high as her neck.

She then managed to grab onto a metal pole and yelled for help, but nobody could hear her.

After struggling against the rushing water for a while, the woman managed to use the pole to pull herself back to safety.

The 58-year-old managed to walk to her friend’s house nearby – and was treated for minor cuts and bruises. 

Almost 500 requests for help were made to emergency services as thunderstorms, damaging winds and heavy rain pummelled the state.

There were close to 250 reports of building damage and 110 food-related incidents across the state in the 24 hours to 7am, the SES said.

Some 63 call-outs related to trees down on roads during the wild storm.

The suburbs of Melton, Altona and Point Cook in Melbourne’s west were among the areas hardest hit, along with Lara near Geelong and Horsham in the state’s west.

A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts remains in place for much of Victoria’s east stretching from parts of Melbourne down to southern Gippsland and the High Country.

The alert extends across the NSW border to parts of the South West Slopes and Snowy Mountains, with damaging winds and peak gusts up to 130km/h expected on Tuesday morning.

On Monday, lightning caused a 40 minute halt to the Geelong and Hawthorn AFL match at the MCG while the Stawell Gift’s finals were delayed by about two hours due to torrential rain and water over the track.

Meanwhile, a woman at Daylesford in central Victoria had a narrow escape after falling into a stormwater drain just before 9pm on Monday.

She fell down an embankment and was carried by fast-flowing water until she grabbed hold of a metal pole, Victoria Police said.

The 58-year-old tried to call for help but couldn’t be heard over the sound of rushing water.

The force said she was eventually able to climb to safety, suffering minor cuts and bruises.