People clear mud from a property damaged by floods in the Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong on 15 October, 2022. Photo: AFP
Echuca, in Victoria's north, appears to have fared better than expected in the first flood peak to hit the Australian town, but authorities warn there's another peak on its way.
Up to 30 properties in the town have been flooded, which is short of the 200 properties which were predicted to be at risk from rising waters.
A warning to evacuate immediately remains in place for Echuca, as the Campaspe River continues to threaten properties, but authorities have said the river level appears to be slowly dropping.
Les Veering from the State Emergency Service said the flooding has not been as bad so far as modelling had predicted, but the town remains on high alert.
"We've got the big issue coming into this week as the water comes down from Shepparton who are copping it now. Echuca will cop that in a couple of days time on the eastern side of town," he said.
"So there'll be a massive amount of work going on over the next few days to try to increase the height of the levee."
The flood crisis across Victoria is expected to continue for days as communities either deal with existing threats, or begin clean up operations.
Federal Emergency Management Commissioner Murray Watt said emergency authorities would be kept busy as conditions continually changed.
"I think one of the more worrying aspects of that, in some of those communities, it's quite likely we'll see a flood peak happen and waters recede, followed by another peak, as different river systems come together," he said.
"This is a very serious situation. The reports I'm getting, we are could be looking up to 9000 homes inundated in northern Victoria and potentially close to about 34,000 homes in Victoria either inundated or isolated."
Ron Ash said he was "devastated" when his Echuca home was flooded on Sunday.
The 77-year-old said it was the first significant flooding he had ever seen.
"You sort of feel a bit dead inside," he said.
"There's nothing you can do about it - the water's here, we knew it was coming, but when it goes through your house you sort of think: what's going to happen next?
Graham Glanville's elevated house in Echuca had so far escaped damage.
But he said he was worried about flooding from the Murray River.
"It hasn't peaked yet here so it could come back and snooker us again," he said.
"But anyway, we'll just keep kicking on."
Meanwhile, residents at Kerang have been warned to move to higher ground as major flooding hits the Loddon River.
SES chief operations officer Tim Wiebusch said the Loddon River was expected to peak Monday into Tuesday, before reaching a higher peak on Tuesday night.
At a community flood meeting on Sunday, SES assistant chief officer for the Loddon Mallee region Sharon Unthank warned Kerang could be isolated for two weeks.
"We're anticipating that Kerang will be isolated for two weeks - that's what we've got to plan for," she said.
"The evacuation warning may actually come out because we know the town is going to be isolated, so it may not come out because we're worried about the town flooding."
She strongly advised people to leave in the event of an evacuation warning, and said residents who remained would need to have enough supplies like food and medication.
Kerang residents were forced to evacuate in 2011 when the town was inundated with record flooding.
Gannawarra council director of infrastructure Geoff Rollinson warned Kerang residents this flood event would likely last longer than 2011's.
"There was a lot of lessons learnt out of January 2011, and since then we've done a bit of work around preparing for another event like this," he said at the Kerang community meeting.
"You didn't think a one-in-100 year flood would come around so bloody quick, did you?"
Flood situation in Shepparton stabilises
In Shepparton, the Goulburn River failed to reach the predicted peak of 12.2 metres overnight, and the SES is confident the river has peaked at 12.05 metres.
That could mean hundreds of homes that were at risk of flooding could now be spared.
However, thousands of properties in Shepparton and Mooroopna have already been damaged.
The water had not reached John and Stacey Scully's home in Shepparton on Sunday afternoon.
Whenever they are able to return home, the couple is certain they will find a scene of destruction.
The pair were taken to safety in a boat from their home on Lonsdale Street, and were thankful they did not stick around much longer.
"Most of the neighbours have gone under," Scully said.
"Both the cars are gone, they're half way up the door in water. We've lifted up everything that we can."
A tavern is inundated by water during flooding in the Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong on 14 October, 2022. Photo: AFP/ William West
Rescue boats roamed Shepparton's flood-covered streets on Sunday, transporting the elderly, pets and even a toddler who was fast asleep.
As of Sunday night, there were also evacuation warnings for Charlton, in the state's north-west, and Bunbartha, north of Shepparton.
There were warnings it was too late to leave for residents in Mooroopna, Orrvale, Kialla West and Murchison.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday that 120 schools across the state would be closed on Monday.
He also said there would be a review of the flood wall around Flemington Racecourse, after concerns it may have worsened flooding for the surrounding residential area.
"Melbourne Water will review the wall issue," Andrews said.
Support available for Victorians
On Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Commonwealth financial support for residents in local government areas affected by the floods, available through the mygov website.
The Victorian government is also providing payments of about $2000 per family through the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.
Andrews said residents who could not return to their homes would begin to be moved into the Mickleham facility, formerly a Covid-19 quarantine centre, in the next few days.
He said the facility would provide three meals per day, 24/7 healthcare and activities for kids.
"We'll also work very hard to provide all the other supports people might need," he said.
He said there was capacity for 250 more beds at the facility, which would be made available if the current 250 places were filled.
- ABC
