As 12 vehicles were damaged by the same pothole after it destroyed all four tires on each one, it left a trail of devastation as drivers in Victoria’s flooded state navigated perilous roadways.
On Thursday, a picture of motorists parked by the side of the road near Seymour, Victoria, north of Melbourne, was shared on social media.
As critics attacked Premier Daniel Andrews on the condition of the roads in the comments section, drivers were forced to wait three hours for tow trucks.
“Just outside Seymour, 12 automobiles, all hit the same pothole, all done front and back tyres,” was the caption on the picture.
Thank you, Dan! One commentator brought up Mr. Andrews’ often reported proposal to remove 85 gates at railroad crossings and said that maybe rural roads should take precedence before removing boom gates.
A social media user further said, “Victorian roads are really the worst I’ve encountered in all of Australia.”
“I have never seen so many potholes, missing portions of the road, and water!” Was a tense trip home (with a 70 kilometre detour through Shep due to the Hume being closed),” said another.
While not in charge of all the state’s roadways, the Victorian government does oversee several non-arterial thoroughfares, major arterial highways, and freeways.
Local governments are responsible for maintaining municipal roadways, while other companies manage the privately managed motorways.
It’s not the first time the state’s potholes have drawn attention.
North-east of Victoria, at Mansfield Shire, Paul Volkering, a former mayor, described the roads as a “genuine disaster.”
As of last week, Mr. Volkering told The Age, “You can’t go more than a few kilometers on [the Melba Highway near Glenburn] without coming across a massive pothole.”
‘If you’re an experienced country driver, you know where to slow down, but it’s simply gotten to the point where it’s quite unsafe,’ the motorist said.
Road potholes are common after lengthy, above-average rainstorms, according to regional transport chief Paul Northey.
“To perform long-term repairs that will endure, we need to wait for warmer, drier weather. Delivering this sort of work while it’s rainy or cold dramatically increases the danger of the works failing.”
As the extreme weather persisted, hundreds of Melbourne residents were told to leave their homes, and more than 500 houses in Victoria were either waterlogged or isolated.
The Maribyrnong River is rising quickly, and more than 40 communities in the center of the city are on high alert.
Numerous Maribyrnong residents were told to leave early on Friday morning, and there was also a danger to the districts around the Melbourne Showground, Footscray Park, and Flemington Racecourse.
Residents of nearby Wedderburn, Carisbrook, Seymour, Benalla, and Rochester were also urged to leave before their access to the outside world was shut off.
On Friday morning, when significant flooding levels reached a high above the previous record 7.64m flood in May 1974, a “too late to flee” warning was issued for Seymour.
It is advised that drivers avoid using flooded roadways. In the last 24 hours, emergency personnel have carried out 119 flood rescues around the state.
The Skinners Flat Reservoir’s impending dam break was foreseen, and an order to evacuate Wedderburn right away was issued.
Residents of Lake Eildon’s low-lying regions have been advised to leave as floods advance on Bendigo’s bridges, residences, and parks.