国际英语新闻：Thousands of Australians evecuate from flood hitting Victorian towns

CANBERRA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- As a series of super-cell storms rolled across the state, thousands of Australians were evacuated from Victoria's flood-stricken towns on Saturday night.

The remnant of Cyclone Yasi, which wreaked havoc across Queensland earlier this week, reached Victoria since Friday, bringing about 150 millimeters of rain and wind gusts over 130 kilometers per hour, cutting roads and knocking trees down.

Melbourne was one of the worst-affected areas, with Lyndhurst in city's south-east recording the highest rainfall of 174 millimeters.

Mildura, in the state's north-west, since 9am on Friday recorded 142 millimeters, which is the highest daily rainfall total ever in the town.

After the heavy rainfall, water on Saturday has flooded houses in Melbourne's south-east and lightning strikes cut power to more than 30,000 houses.

Four towns of the state, including Koo Wee Rup, Bayles and Cora Lynn in Gippsland, have saw 6,000 household evacuated on Saturday night, as the Lower Bunyip River swelled dangerously upriver, and was tipped to peak at more than 7.2 meters in the early hours of Sunday.

Half of train lines in Melbourne has shut down or disrupted. Traffic was heavily clogged on the Monash Freeway for several hours, while Police warned this weekend's conditions were " extremely dangerous".

ABC News reported that the State Emergency Service (SES) has received more than 4,700 calls for help and at least 90 people across the state have been rescued in the last 36 hours.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Sunday warned Victorians to brace for major problems following flash flooding and severe storms.

Victoria is "heading for some major problems," Gillard told Network Ten on Sunday. "This is going to get very tough indeed."

The weather bureau said the flood threat is easing on Sunday, as the showers slowly clear from the state.