Life-threatening flash flood warning issued for southeast Australia

Emergency warnings for life-threatening flash flooding have been issued for vast areas of the southeast Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW).

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) on Monday issued severe weather warnings for heavy and locally intense rainfall across regions in central and northern Victoria and south and southwestern NSW.

It said that six-hourly rainfall totaling up to 100 millimeters was possible on Monday across the warning area spanning over 650 kilometers from the central Victorian town of Seymour to the outback mining town of Broken Hill in far western NSW.

"Locally intense rainfall, which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding, is possible throughout the warning area with thunderstorms this morning," BoM said.

The State Emergency Service branches in Victoria and NSW have advised people to avoid driving through floodwater and to stay away from waterways.

Flood watch updates issued by the BoM for both states on Sunday said that more than 20 catchments were likely to be affected by the heavy rainfall event.

(Cover: Vehicles swept into the sea in Cumberland River, Victoria, Australia, January 17, 2026. /VCG)