By CASEY NEILL
HEAVY rain over the weekend promoted flood warnings for the Bunyip River at Cora Lynn and Iona.
The SES issued the minor flood warning about 9pm Sunday and it remained in place until noon on Tuesday.
The Bunyip River catchment received about 18 millimetres of rain between 9am on Saturday and 9pm on Sunday, causing water levels to rise.
Pakenham SES unit controller Andrew Graham said the ford at Cora Lynn was closed to traffic.
“We didn’t get called out for anything. I don’t think it really eventuated to be much at all,” he said.
“There was a bit of water over the road at Cora Lynn but I couldn’t tell you how much.
“They’d had a fair bit of rain in the previous 12 hours and they were expecting a bit more, which we didn’t get.”
On the Gazette Facebook page Lyn Van said it was “quite standard” to close the ford at Cora Lynn a dozen or more times each year.
Tracy Clarke said water was “running quick” at the end of Fourteen Mile Road in Garfield but there was no flooding.
Paula Scanlon said most residents were used to the warnings and nothing happening.
Amber Ericksen said Costa Road in Longwarry was cut in a few places.
“I got through on the way to Drouin but couldn’t get back,” she said.
The Bunyip River water level peaked at 1.68 metres just after 11pm on Sunday night, below the 2.1m minor flood level.
The water level at Cora Lynn reached a peak of 2.93m at 12.30am on Monday, just below the 3.1m minor flood level.
The SES has warned that river levels could remain high for days and even weeks, local roads may be closed, low bridges could remain underwater and floodwaters may cut off low-lying areas.
