Tragedy struck a Melbourne beach as two men drowned amidst turbulent conditions, part of a severe weather system impacting Australia’s southern regions.

This afternoon, emergency services rushed to Frankston Beach following reports of two individuals struggling in the surf.

The Police Air Wing promptly launched a search operation, locating the men unresponsive in the water shortly after 5 p.m.

Despite efforts to airlift the pair back to shore, attempts to revive them were unsuccessful.

Authorities are now preparing reports for the coroner to investigate the incident further.

Wind gusts peaked at 120km/h in parts of Victoria this afternoon as a severe low pressure system brought down trees and cut power to thousands across the state.

The weather system is expected to continue to sweep across Victoria towards NSW overnight, with conditions expected to stabilise tomorrow.