River peak still expected Monday morning, more than 80,000 sandbags distributed across Greater Shepparton
There have been 27 water-related rescues in the Hume district since midnight, according to the emergency services.
A spokesperson for the Incident Control Centre in Shepparton said most of those 27 evacuations were in the Greater Shepparton area.
She said 50,000 sandbags had been distributed in Shepparton and another 30,000 in Mooroopna in the past few days.
Generators were also on the way to Mooroopna, the spokesperson said, with more details to come on how that would affect the some 6000 homes and businesses west of the Goulburn who are without power.
Greater Shepparton City Council has requested people not drive around Shepparton or Mooroopna to sightsee.
“Driving in flooded streets creates waves which makes flooding worse. Many people can’t access their own properties, be thoughtful and respectful,” council said.
The river is close to peaking at Murchison and Toolamba, with the latter effectively cut off from the rest of the world.
Flood barriers are being erected in Nathalia as a precaution.
A town hall meeting will be held in Numurkah at 5.30pm on Monday at the Numurkah Town Hall, but at this stage the town is not expected to flood.
“The 2012 flood event was an overland flash flood, at the moment it’s a riverine event which is very different,” the Shepparton Incident Control Centre spokesperson said.
“There is currently no risk to the community.”
The peak of the flooding in Shepparton is expected in the early hours of Monday morning, with a peak height of 12.2m, which is up to 11cm above the 1974 levels.
The Causeway between Shepparton and Mooroopna is expected to be closed for a number of days.