Flooding in Victora has prompted more than 1500 calls for help to emergency services, as forecasters warn the worst of the deluge is yet to come.
Heavy rain continued to fall across much of the Australian state and authorities prepared for possible evacuations in the north-east.
The state is enduring what the weather bureau says is an "unprecedented" deluge that could bring three months' of rain in three days, with another 150mm forecast to fall in some areas.
ABC reporter Stephane Anderson tweeted photos of flooding at Euroa, north of Melbourne.
Flood water outside #Euroa @abcnews @abcmelbourne pic.twitter.com/BkcYWjhQOx
— Stephanie Anderson (@skateanderson) December 1, 2017
While the threat has eased somewhat in Melbourne, emergency workers are paying particular attention to the north-east ranges, where significant flooding is expected and warnings have been issued for the Ovens and King rivers.
People have been advised to prepare to evacuate low-lying areas of Myrtleford along the Ovens River. People in Harris Lane and Wallace Drive on the Buckland River were also issued a prepare-to-evacuate notice. Authorities said properties could be inundated or isolated and the bridge could become impassable.
The state emergency service (SES) was expecting the evacuations to take place during the morning, ahead of the worst of the downpour.
SES state agency commander David Tucek said more than 1500 requests for assistance had been received since the start of the rain event, including from parts of Melbourne and locations such as Echuca and Euroa in the state's north-east.
"Generally it's been related to flooding more so than anything else, so sometimes it's been water coming up close to people's properties and there's been a lot of water coming in through gutters, windows and the like," he said.
"Some of the rainfall's lessened off around Melbourne parts, however we've certainly seen the rain continue in a very heavy fashion up around north-eastern parts."
The heaviest falls have been recorded at the Strathbogie Ranges, where Mt Wombat recorded 190mm of rain.
#Kerang residents are waking up to flooding in some of its streets following last night’s #rain #vicStorms pic.twitter.com/TpkW0jP98P
— Scott Bourne (@scottie_bourne) December 1, 2017
Warning for state's north and east
Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecaster Chris Godfred said the state's north and east were "roughly halfway through the period of heaviest rain".
"In terms of actual river conditions … there are a couple of gauges centred around that Strathbogie region and Euroa where it does look like the river levels have exceeded flood stages at this stage," he said.
"But at least in southern and north-west Victoria, we are getting pretty close to the end of this rain event."
Parts of Gippsland could also see isolated falls of more than 150 millimetres, the bureau said.
Across Victoria, locations most at risk include Mildura, Shepparton, Seymour, Wodonga, Wangaratta, Traralgon and Bairnsdale.
Melbourne
Parts of Melbourne experienced flash flooding on Friday, when 40mm of rain fell in places.
Mr Godfred said another 20-30mm could fall in the city today.
"If you are in Melbourne, we are experiencing steady rain at the moment [but] probably the risk of heavy damaging falls is not that high.
"As southerly winds freshen later today, we may see an uptick in the rain rate as we move towards Saturday night."
A flood warning was issued on Friday for areas in Melbourne's south as the Elster Creek/Elwood Canal, which threatened to flood after heavy rainfall.
Residents have been sandbagging to prepare their properties.
"The drains can't cope with it. I wonder whether my car will float away," resident Ros Collins said.
Flash flooding hit Sydney Road in Melbourne on Friday afternoon. Photo: Supplied via ABC / Anthony McCosker
People on the #Yarra despite heavy rain and filth being washed into the water @abcnews @abcmelbourne #weather pic.twitter.com/SgriwALcEx
— Iskhandar Razak (@Isk137) December 1, 2017
