Residents of parts of Seymour, in central Victoria, have been told to evacuate due to rising floodwaters as the state responds to heavy rain.
Flooding is expected to affect a number of streets in Seymour, where the river level is expected to surpass the 1993 flood level.
The warning said flooding was expected to impact Emily Street, Tierney Street, Lesley Street, Tallarook Street, Wallis Street, High Street, Elizabeth Street, Butler Street, Alexander Street, Edward Street, Station Street, Tristan Street, Hanna Street, Jubilee Street and Industrial Court.
The warning issued shortly before midday on Monday told residents if they did not evacuate those areas before 6pm “your property may be isolated or inundated with water and it may be too late to leave”.
It comes amid widespread heavy rain across Victoria which has seen much of the state inundated and on alert for flash flooding.
A severe thunderstorm warning from the Bureau of Meteorology is current for a section of Victoria stretching from Melbourne’s outer-north-east to Wodonga and across to the state’s far east.
Emergency crews and water police carried out 26 flood rescues across the state overnight, including 11 in Bendigo.
The State Emergency Service (SES) has received hundreds of calls for help, many for damage to homes.
SES Assistant Chief Officer Mark Cattell said a number of homes were inundated by flash flooding.
“We’ve got a lot of crews across the state currently preparing for the impending weather, we’ve also got a lot of crews that are resting after a very busy night in the Bendigo area,” he told ABC News Breakfast.
An emergency relief centre has been set up at the Bendigo Showgrounds for anyone affected by flooding.
The City of Greater Bendigo and the SES are working to potentially relocate about 30 families in Goornong, north-east of Bendigo.
Flood water from Bendigo will flow through to Rochester via the Campaspe River.
The area is still recovering from floods which lashed the state more than a year ago.
Heavy rain has also been falling in the state’s north, with six-hourly falls of up to 100 millimetres in some areas.
Heathcote, in Central Victoria, recorded 160 millimetres of rain in 24 hours.
Flash flooding is likely in places like Shepparton, Wangaratta and Wodonga.
Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said the effects of the heavy rain were being felt in many parts of the state.
“The rainfall around Bendigo triggered some flash flooding which moved downstream overnight and has triggered a major flood warning for the Campaspe River,” she told ABC News Breakfast.
“It’s an ongoing, unfolding situation as that rain continues to fall today.”
There are flood watches in place for rivers in Gippsland and in Central and Northern Victoria, in addition to the major flood warning for the Campaspe River.
A major flood warning has also been issued for the Goulburn River.
The Mallee, Northern Country and Wimmera forecast districts were also battered by strong winds and hail stones overnight.
Melbourne Airport says more than 70 flights have been cancelled, mostly due to the weather.
The SES said there had been 920 calls for assistance in the 24 hours to 10am Monday morning. That number included more than 500 calls related to flooding and 118 counts of building damage.
SES duty officer Aaron White reminded people in areas affected by flash flooding not to make poor choices.
“We really tell the community to stay well clear of any dangerous circumstances. That includes driving into floodwater — it may be the last decision you ever make, you don’t know what’s under those floodwaters,” he said.
“Our warning to the community is to continue to monitor the Vic emergency website as well as maintain their local awareness to the area that they’re in, especially with the unpredictability of storms, we can see that there is heavy rainfall on the forecast.”
The SES rescued a man who had driven into floodwater at Lilydale, north-east of Melbourne overnight.
SES Lilydale Unit Controller Shaun Caulfield said vehicles could get into trouble in as little as 15 centimetres of water.
Where to find emergency assistance and information
- For emergency assistance, contact the SES on 132 500
- If your life is at risk, call triple-O (000) immediately
- You can find the latest Victorian evacuation orders here
- For the latest weather updates visit the Bureau of Meteorology.
(ABC)
