As the flood calamity in the state continues to worsen, floodwaters might cut off the northern Victorian town of Kerang for a week.
On Wednesday or Thursday, the Loddon River is anticipated to reach its highest point near Kerang, roughly 280 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, at 78 metres above mean sea level.
A sandbag levee is expected to help keep the majority of the town dry but it could be cut off for up to seven days, Victorian State Emergency Service chief operations officer Tim Wiebusch said.
He told reporters today, “We are asking the Kerang people to think about whether they should now be transferring to another area.”
As a result of the state government’s announcement of a AU$351 million (NZ$392 million) flood recovery package, several Victorian communities are transitioning to the clean-up phase.
The disaster funding includes AU$165 million (NZ$184 million) in emergency road fixes such as filling potholes and repairing surfaces to get people and freight moving.
Premier Daniel Andrews stated that “this is an initial amount of money and it will support those essential repairs.”
The next several days are predicted to see more rain, and the north of the state will likely experience flooding for four to six weeks.
According to modelling, more than 9000 dwellings were submerged in Victoria’s north, and 34,000 residences might be isolated or flooded throughout the state, according to Murray Watt, Minister of Federal Emergency Management.
He predicted today on ABC TV that after a flood peak and water levels drop, there will likely be another high as various river systems converge.
The Goulburn River at Shepparton reached a peak overnight at 12.05 metres, less than the predicted peak of 12.1 metres and the flood level of 12.09 metres in 1974.
“That 15 centimetres makes a significant difference to the number of properties either isolated or impacted,” Wiebusch said.
We estimate that approximately 4000 properties are currently either isolated or have some degree of inundation.
Images depict a massive inland sea of dirty, brown water engulfing buildings in the middle of a town, with locals using sandbags to save their homes.
Around 800 to 900 homes have flooded in Rochester, where the waters have subsided to a moderate flood level, but it is still too soon for authorities to determine the full extent of the damage.
On Saturday, a 71-year-old man was discovered dead in the backyard of his house in the town.
Floodwaters have receded in Maribyrnong, in Melbourne’s west, where police have confirmed that a man wearing high-visibility gear ransacked an empty property on Monday morning before escaping in a car with two other males.
A warning has also been issued for the Wimmera River, with Horsham residents told major flooding is possible on today and into tomorrow.
This morning, the Campaspe River in Barnadown, Rochester Town, and Echuca reached its height and experienced significant flooding that was higher than in 2011.
Since Wednesday, when the state started to experience severe rain, the SES has answered more than 6000 calls for assistance and responded to more than 650 requests for flood rescue.
Residents in 23 local government areas now have access to disaster relief funds, and the old Mickleham Covid-19 quarantine facility will host a 250-bed camp.
Around 100 members of the ADF have been sent to assist with sandbagging and evacuations, and Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp reported that Victoria has asked for more aviation support beginning tomorrow.
On Monday, more than 70 schools and early learning facilities across the state were closed due to the beginning of senior students’ exams.
The Victorian health department has also warned of the increased risk of bacterial outbreaks such as leptospirosis and mosquito activity..
Victoria town will be cut off by floodwaters for a week.
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