Dozens of shipping containers were thrown from the tracks when a freight train derailed in Victoria’s west.

The train derailed near Inverleigh along the Hamilton Highway outside Geelong.

Victoria’s State Emergency Service said eight wagons came off tracks between Inverleigh and Gheringhap about 5.30am.

Aerial footage from Nine’s Today program showed the containers piled on top of each other, with water beneath them and the tracks.

A local resident said the incident followed torrential overnight rain.

“There’s at least 20 containers just everywhere and Inverleigh itself is pretty much awash with just water over the roads everywhere,” Inverleigh resident Robyn told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“The Leigh and Barwon [rivers] meet together in Inverleigh and it’s just a lake.”

Victoria Police said officers were called to the site on Monday morning to provide traffic control but they were no longer needed.

The SES said nobody was hurt in the incident and the train was not carrying any dangerous goods.

Monday’s accident happened close to a level crossing. It was closed temporarily but re-opened later in the morning.

The freight rail line between Melbourne and Adelaide remained blocked into Monday afternoon, with no timeline for when it would reopen.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau took control of the scene and investigators have been called in.

-with AAP