THE SES is methodically draining floodwater off Swan Hill streets after Wednesday morning’s torrential downpour.

Streets were turned into rivers as the rural city’s drainage system struggled to cope with the volume of water.

Swan Hill was hit with 85mm of rain by 8.30am, including 78.8mm in just seven hours between 1am and 8am.

It was the second highest 24-hour falls recorded at the Swan Hill Aerodrome since records began at the site in 1996.

The highest was 111mm in 1998 and third-highest was 71mm in October last year.

Flood damage closed the Swan Hill RSL, and St Mary’s Primary School and Swan Hill North Primary School were also closed.

The Swan Hill outdoor swimming pool was also forced to keep swimmers out as it prepared for a deep clean.

SES unites to respond

THE first job for the Swan Hill SES unit came at 4am and then “it didn't stop”.

The Swan Hill SES unit was the state’s busiest with 24 callouts.

“We’ve seen this before, but something that can be surprising is that it’s not always in the same places in town,” unit conrtroller Damian Howison told The Guardian.

“Some places get hit fairly regularly but other places are seeing flooding for the first time.

“A lot of those long streets, like Gray Street, were cut off for a little bit. I know that Wattie Street near Sebastian Close and other places were hit pretty hard.

“I know there were probably four houses who have told us they had water enter their premises, and there has been some damage to their floors.

“Two of those houses are being assisted by council.”

Rain bomb 'unusual' for November

BUREAU of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said the rainfall was unusual for this time of the year.

Swan Hill’s historic average rainfall for November was 41.2mm. Last year’s total was 73mm.

It meant this year would be the wettest November since 98mm fell in 2010.

“For some of those areas in northern Victoria, the rainfall over the course of today, and this week, is well in excess of a month’s worth of rainfall,” Mr Hines said.

“It’s fair to say it’s reasonably unusual for this time of the year.”

The bureau said while El Nino events tend to bring a reduction in cloud coverage and rainfall over eastern parts of the country, “significant rainfall is still possible, especially those of short duration”.

“El Nino increases the probability for drier conditions, but it is not a guarantee. We can still have both dry and wet periods,” it said in a statement.

There is a slight chance of a shower on Thursday, before a dry and warm week ahead.

Drains 'didn't malfunction', says council

SWAN Hill Council acknowledged the flash flooding “caused concern and inconvenience for many residents”.

Chief executive Scott Barber said the intense and significant downpour in Swan Hill had overwhelmed the drainage systems and led to temporary inundation in certain areas.

“We want to reassure residents that the council drainage system and pumps did not malfunction during this challenging period, as some have reported,” he said.

“Our dedicated team has been working tirelessly to manage the situation and mitigate the impact of the flash flooding event.

“Community safety remains our top priority. We are grateful for your patience and understanding during these exceptional circumstances.

“We remind all residents to not drive though floodwater, this is not only a significant safety issue, it also creates additional pressure from the waves formed by vehicle movement, impacting on homes and properties.”

More in Friday’s edition of The Guardian.