The ongoing flood emergency in Victoria is a “dynamic and changing” situation, Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp has warned.
“Things are moving steadily across the state. We’ve had significant rain over the last couple of nights,” he said Sunday morning.
“It is the reality of what we are dealing with, we will see more rain,” he said.
Residents in Echuca are bracing for the Murray River to peak tomorrow. (9News) It comes as residents in the northern Victorian town of Echuca brace for the Murray River to rise again today after the swollen system reached its highest levels in more than 100 years.
The Murray River is about 94.8 meters above mean sea level, flooding hiking trails and creating Echuca’s first waterfall.
Weather event of the last weeks
Victorians are about six weeks away from the end of the current flood emergency, SES chief operating officer Tim Wiebusch has warned.
Wiebusch said the weather conditions will last for the next two months.
He said cities in the North West would feel the effects of flooding in Swan Hill and Mildura in late October and November.
“We’re about four to six weeks from the tail end of this existing flood along the Murray River and that’s without more rain,” Wiebusch said.
The dark green mass in the satellite photo reveals a danger in the Aussie state
“We still have La Nina, the Indian Dipole, the weather conditions for the next couple of months. We’ll see Swan Hill in late October, we’ll see Mildura reaching flood levels in late to mid-November, a long time. because these communities start to prepare and think about what they can do when these warnings come.”
Premier Daniel Andrews said there were now 50 people affected by the floods staying at the Mickleham Quarantine Hub.
He said road crews have also fixed more than 42,000 potholes damaged by flood waters and reopened nearly 500 roads.
“This is going to be a long journey and we will be with those affected businesses and individuals who need our support for as long as it takes,” Andrews said Sunday.
“This event is far from over as the waters are starting to peak in several areas. Then there is this massive cleanup and rebuilding task.”
Floodwaters flooded Shepparton early last week. (the age)
The people of Echuca prepare for the summit
Wiebusch said he expected the Murray River to peak Sunday night or Monday.
“In Echuca, the Murray River is one of the most difficult hydrological areas to model because of the flows,” he said.
Water levels are now higher than the 94.77 meters reached in 1993 and are fast approaching the 1916 flood level of 95.28 meters.
Before and after photos show the devastating impact of the floods
The worst recorded floods in Echuca were in 1870, when levels reached 96.2 metres, but current rates did not exist then, so it is unclear what it holds for the area today.
“The key to a major river system like the Murray River is the complexity of the many river systems that flow into it,” Wiebusch said earlier.
The River Murray at Moama is expected to peak Sunday night into Monday, potentially more than 95 meters above sea level.
In Moama, flood levels are now higher than they were almost 30 years ago. (9 News)
Water flowing down the river is moving faster than in recent days, suggesting the area is starting to receive water from the Goulburn River.
“I’ve been here since ’73 and it’s worse than the two floods I’ve seen,” Moama resident Belinda Shaw told 9News.
In Moama, potholes are appearing in the concrete as roads are hit by the volume of water, while cottage owners raced from Melbourne and Geelong to protect their parks.
A more immediate threat has emerged in Kerang, about 280 kilometers north of Melbourne.
Authorities have been going door to door warning people that the River Loddon will peak on Sunday. (9 News)
Authorities have been going door-to-door warning people of the Loddon River, which has now peaked at 77.9cm at Kerang.
“Kerang will remain isolated,” said Wiesbusch.
Residents have been warned that if they do not evacuate, they could be isolated for the next 24 to 36 hours.
Rain fell overnight in the already badly flooded city of Rochester in northern Victoria.
The flood-weary community, which is currently in the midst of cleaning up from a recent weather event, is preparing new sandbags with rain expected for Monday and Tuesday.
Forecasters have predicted flood levels could rise again over the two days, with up to 50 homes and properties potentially in the firing line.
Wiebusch said the Campaspe River in Rochester was now at minor flood stage.
The Australian Defense Force has sent 350 troops to help on the ground in Victoria as the flood emergency continues into the new week.
The northern Victoria city of Rochester is on the mend, with more rain on the way. (9 News)
The office expects the rain to continue
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Michael Efron said significant rainfall fell on Saturday night.
Efron said 18mm of rain fell in 20 minutes near Stawell and 10 to 20mm in parts of north-west Victoria.
During Sunday night and Monday, the Bureau expects the rain to spread further south and become more widespread through Monday.
Between 15mm and 30mm of rainfall is expected across much of north-west Victoria throughout Monday.
“The rain will fall on these already very wet watersheds,” Efron said.
However, in some welcome news, the rains look set to arrive after Tuesday.