Victoria’s winter storm has claimed its second victim as a woman was found inside a car submerged in floodwaters.
The vehicle was found on Maddens Bridge Rd at Glenfyne, about 200 kilometres from Melbourne, on Friday morning.
While yet to be officially identified, Victoria Police believe the deceased woman to be the Victorian woman missing since Wednesday, named Nina.
The exact circumstances leading to the death is currently unknown. However, authorities are not treating it as suspicious.
Victoria is currently experiencing extreme winter weather, with major flooding and wild winds of up to 60 km/h (37 miles/h) in regions around the state.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued major flood warnings for the Thomson River, Traralgon Creek, and the Yarra River. It has also issued a severe weather warning for the West and South Gippsland area.
Authorities are also pleading for locals not to drive through floodwaters, particularly around Traralgon, Sale and Yarra Glen, with meteorologist Dean Narramore telling locals to “pay extra attention” when outside.
Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) has received more than 7,400 requests for help, of with 5,800 were related to fallen trees. Around 2,500 requests have yet to be completed.
“We know it is not over yet,“ Acting Premier James Merlino said. ”It was quite extraordinary leaving home and driving through the Dandenongs to work this morning, having a few different routes to go through to get off the mountain—massive trees across homes, across the roads,”
Two SES members were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after separate tree-related incidents.
