logo
Mt Hotham rescue continues for second day after 20 people stranded in snow on Saturday

Mt Hotham rescue continues for second day after 20 people stranded in snow on Saturday

News.com.aua day ago

Six people are still awaiting rescue after being trapped in their cars by heavy snow on Saturday night.
About 20 travellers in cars became stranded on the Blue Rag Range Track on Mount Hotham about 10.50pm on Saturday.
The convoy was snowed-in overnight into Sunday, when 13 people were rescued by Victoria Police and State Emergency Service crews.
A man in his 40s was injured in the chaos, after his vehicle rolled, and a fire truck became stuck in the snow after being deployed to help.
However, a further six were forced to stay behind, with the temperature falling to -4.3C overnight.
SES Regional Duty Officer James Boler said the operation had been 'pretty treacherous'.
Rescue vehicles have struggled to get through the snow, and specialised alpine units were being brought in, with the remaining travellers expected to be evacuated via sled.
People in the stranded vehicles had food, water and protection from the elements, emergency services said.
Dargo Highway Plains Road is closed due to the extreme conditions and is not expected to reopen until after the long weekend.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NSW Snowy Mountains hikers warned after couple's blizzard rescue
NSW Snowy Mountains hikers warned after couple's blizzard rescue

ABC News

time3 hours ago

  • ABC News

NSW Snowy Mountains hikers warned after couple's blizzard rescue

Authorities have urged people hiking in the Snowy Mountains to monitor weather forecasts after a couple was rescued in blizzard conditions over the King's Birthday long weekend. Emergency services were called on Saturday morning to reports a man and woman were stranded in the snowstorm on the Kosciuszko Walking Trail, below Mount Carruthers. NSW Police officer Andrew Woods said the operation to rescue the 31-year-old man and 28-year-old woman took more than 20 hours due to poor conditions. "The high winds, the snow was falling, there was a lot of snowfall over that time," Acting Inspector Woods said. An alpine rescue crew, which included NSW Police and State Emergency Service members, set out on foot before harsh conditions set in just after midday. "They were forced to turn around and disengage the search due to the white-out and weather conditions," Inspector Woods said. Rescuers found the couple after midnight on Sunday, guiding them to the command post at Charlotte Pass about 4am, more than 20 hours after the original call for help was sent. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, temperatures reached as low as -2.7 degrees at Perisher Valley when the couple was stranded between Saturday and Sunday. No injuries have been reported. The couple had set off on a hike on Friday evening, with "reasonable equipment" before setting up camp in harsh conditions when their tent poles became damaged. "They didn't consider the conditions that were coming and unfortunately set up in probably not the best location," Inspector Woods said. The couple were not carrying a personal locator beacon and contacted authorities through a mobile phone. Inspector Woods said it was a timely reminder to take caution in the alpine region during winter. "If you know bad weather is coming maybe reconsider the need to go camping or hiking in those conditions," Inspector Woods said. The NSW snow season officially started at the weekend, with some resorts receiving 65 centimetres of snow across the three days. Emergency services had to rescue three men on Tuesday last week who were caught in a snowstorm at Seaman's Hut on the Kosciuszko Park Main Range. Police said the trio were not dressed for the conditions, had not filled out a trip intention form and were not carrying enough water or a personal locator beacon. Across the border in Victoria, a major rescue operation was conducted on Monday after several cars and two hikers became stuck at Mount Hotham. A vehicle also needed rescuing from the snow in NSW on Saturday morning. Acting Inspector Woods said it was crucial that people knew whether their vehicles are equipped to drive in alpine conditions. "Carry snow chains or [make sure] you've got appropriate tyres," he said. Snowy Mountains SES commander Malika Bailey said people were slowly becoming more aware of snow safety messaging. "Prepare, have a good plan in place and maybe a plan B as well in case if there is a problem. "We all get caught from time to time."

Sewage spills in Perth's south leave Bruce Lee Reserve in Beaconsfield covered in wastewater
Sewage spills in Perth's south leave Bruce Lee Reserve in Beaconsfield covered in wastewater

ABC News

time5 hours ago

  • ABC News

Sewage spills in Perth's south leave Bruce Lee Reserve in Beaconsfield covered in wastewater

Authorities say it could take days to fix a burst wastewater main that kickstarted a number of sewage spills in Perth's southern suburbs over the weekend, with residents still reeling from the stench of wastewater that inundated local parks. The problems started when a sewage pipe burst on Friday morning in the suburbs of Hamilton Hill and Spearwood, causing wastewater to flow down a residential street, into two homes and the front yards of another four. To stop the flow of wastewater, authorities needed to switch off the pump stations and pump the sewage away from the area. But the diverted pressure caused a second burst in Beaconsfield on Saturday morning. The odour was still affecting residents in Beaconsfield on Tuesday morning, when a large pool of wastewater could be seen on the soccer pitches at Bruce Lee Reserve. Parts of South Fremantle and the Fremantle fishing boat harbour were also impacted, while the stench of human waste has lingered across the area for four days. Karen Willis from the Water Corporation said authorities had managed to secure the area and the issue was now "under control", despite sewage still sitting in some parks. "We're going through now seeing that wastewater starting to recede. We'll work with the local councils to ensure that we do rectify any issues that have been caused as a result of that," she told ABC Radio Perth. A custom-made pipe to replace the one that burst in Spearwood is being fabricated and will be installed later in the week, Ms Willis said. "We're looking at getting that reinstated certainly [within] the week," she said. It remains unknown what caused the original burst. "We're going to have to wait to get that section of pipe that burst back to look at that," Ms Willis said. "It could have been a pressure spike, it could have been a number of different things that could have caused that. "Because this was sort of an ancillary impact in the Beaconsfield area with that second burst, we'll certainly be looking along that pipeline to make sure we're aware of any other potential issues."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store