A Daylesford woman is lucky to be alive after she fell into a flooded stormwater drain and nearly drowned as heavy rain fell around the region.
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The 58-year-old fell down an embankment and into the drain on Raglan Street about 8.50pm on Monday, April 1, 2024, and was "taken a large distance" in the "fast flowing water", according to police, before coming to a stop in a culvert.
Police said she then managed to grab on to a metal pole.
"With water reaching her neck, she cried out for help but wasn't heard over the roar of the water," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
"Miraculously, the woman was able to fight against the force of the water and climb up the embankment to safety."
She then walked to a friend's house nearby only suffering minor cuts and bruises.
It happened as some of the heaviest rain fell on Monday evening, with 46.8 millimetres captured at the Bureau of Meteorology's weather station at Ballarat airport to 9am on Tuesday, April 2.
Volunteers from the Ballarat VicSES unit were called to 19 requests for assistance, between midday on Monday and 10am on Tuesday. The majority of calls were for building and flood damage.
A VicSES spokesperson said Alfredton, Lucas, Sebastopol, Wendouree and Daylesford were the most impacted areas.
SES crews were called to 542 incidents statewide.
Earlier in the day the storm front smashed western parts of Victoria flooding the track at the Stawell Gift and forcing organisers to postpone the final couple of races.
More rain is forecast for Ballarat on Tuesday, with possible rainfall of six to 25mm, along with wind and the chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and early afternoon.
