VICSES volunteers kept busy as prolonged severe weather lashes state

04/03/2026, 4:09 PM
Several units distributed sandbags to their communities as localised storms caused flash flooding in multiple locations across the state. VICSES Gisborne Unit was called to almost 100 requests for assistance following a storm cell on 27 February, largely related to flooding and building damage.

Torrential rains and severe storms which battered the state in recent days have seen Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers leap into action, managing almost 2,000 requests for assistance (RFAs) in an eight-day stretch of adverse weather.

Between midnight on Sunday 22 February and midday Tuesday 3 March, VICSES volunteers were called to more than 1,900 RFAs after a series of storm cells caused flash flooding and flooding impacts across regional and metropolitan Melbourne, with reports of flooding accounting for more than a quarter of all RFAs.

Commencing with an intense downpour over the state’s northeast which saw VICSES Wodonga Unit called to more than 100 RFAs in an afternoon, conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the following week, when severe thunderstorms kept VICSES Bendigo Unit (41 RFAs) and VICSES Heidelberg Unit (31) particularly busy on Tuesday 24 February.

Further storms developed into the weekend, with VICSES Gisborne Unit volunteers called to almost 80 RFAs in a 24-hour period on Friday. Localised storms had also impacted several areas earlier in the day, with VICSES Moe Unit (19 RFAs) and VICSES Kerang and Kilmore units (16 each) active in the wake of significant weather.

Between 22 February and 3 March, VICSES volunteers received more than 600 requests for assistance relating to downed trees such as this attended by VICSES Wangaratta Unit.

The sporadic thunderstorms subsequently made way to more sustained falls into the weekend, with units in the state’s northwest called into action following persistent heavy rain from Saturday through to Monday.

Additional VICSES volunteers were deployed to the region proactively due to the prevailing flash flooding risk, with the possibility of more than 80mm of rain in some areas over a six-hour period.

It was VICSES Mildura Unit which was hardest hit, receiving almost 200 RFAs between 6am Saturday 28 February and 6am 3 March. The spike in demand for local volunteers included more than 100 RFAs relating to flash flooding, as roads and properties became threatened while the deluge continued.

While volunteers provided vital emergency response throughout the rural city, crews at the VICSES Mildura Unit headquarters provided sandbags to community members on Monday in an effort to limit the damage.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the township received more than 150mm of rain in the same period, accounting for more than 50 per cent of Mildura’s mean yearly rainfall.

Further east, VICSES Kyabram Unit received almost 60 RFAs in a two-hour period on the morning of Monday 2 March, as almost 56mm of rain fell in five hours from 7am.

In all, 152 VICSES units across the state were called to at least one RFA between 22 February and 3 March, clearing more than 660 calls relating to trees down, 500 for flooding and more than 450 for building damage statewide.

As we continue through Victoria’s high-risk weather season, Victorians are encouraged to remain vigilant around their storm risk and prepare their property in advance of any adverse weather by clearing gutters and drains, trimming overhanging branches and safely securing outdoor items such as trampolines and umbrellas.

For up-to-date warnings, download the VicEmergency app and establish a personal watch zone for your home or travel destination.

For more information on how to plan for emergencies, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/plan-and-stay-safe.