As Victoria’s Great Ocean Road flash floods show, we need to get better at taking warnings seriously
The Conversation • • world
Key Points:
- Flash flooding at Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, particularly in Wye River, caused cars to be swept out to sea and rapid inundation of a caravan park, with residents narrowly escaping harm.
- The event, while shocking, was not unexpected given the area's geographic risk factors and the increasing intensity and frequency of such storms due to climate change, which has amplified thunderstorm severity by 15–20% over 30 years.
- Predicting the exact location of flash floods is challenging because they result from localized thunderstorms, and areas like Wye River with small, steep catchments respond rapidly to intense rainfall, leaving little time for effective warnings.
- Experts emphasize the need for better community education on flood warnings and response, urging people in high-risk areas
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