With record rainfall in some parts of the state on Monday, January 8, several rivers are on flood alert, including the Goulburn and Campaspe rivers.
Some houses in Rochester, Seymour and Yea are expected to flood.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Michael Efron said there has been some significant rainfall on Monday and into Tuesday.
This included 185mm in the Heathcote region.
The Rochester area set a new record with 125mm falling.
Redesdale also set a new daily rainfall total record, with 117m recorded.
Mr Efron said there was still a significant tropical air mass over the region, with a severe thunderstorm warning out for parts of the north-east, including Shepparton.
The rain is expected to clear into the early hours of Tuesday.
There may by some isolated showers after that, but they should only produced 10 to 20mm of rain, Mr Efron said.
Campaspe River
Thirty-five homes in Rochester are expected to have floodwater over floorboard level, according to Victoria State Emergency Service chief operations officer Tim Wiebusch.
Another 250 properties are expected to have flooding under floorboard level, but their homes may be isolated.
With significant rainfall overnight Sunday in the Campaspe catchments, moderate flooding is expected at a level of 114.5m AHD later today.
The river is expected to peak at 114.8m AHD later on Tuesday.
This is one metre lower than the flood in October 2022.
“We are seeing a level quite different to what we saw in 2022,” Mr Wiebusch said.
A sandbagging station was set up at Rochester Recreation Reserve today for those needing sandbags, with a call out put to the community via social media to help fill them.
A relief centre is expected to open in Echuca this afternoon for Rochester residents.
At nearby Goornong, some properties were affected by flash flooding and eight people had to be rescued from floodwater overnight.
Emergency Management Victoria is expecting flooding in and around Echuca later today.
Goulburn River
Parts of Seymour and Yea are under evacuate now warnings.
Victoria State Emergency Service Chief Operations Officer Tim Wiebusch said 50 homes were immediately at risk of over floor flooding, with another 140 with flooding below floor level, but they will be cut-off.
A peak of 7m is expected later today.
There is already minor flooding towards Murchison.
Flooding is expected at Shepparton mid-week according to Emergency Management Victoria Commissioner Rick Nugent in a press conference on Monday afternoon.
Kialla, Mooroopna and Shepparton are expecting “moderate flooding, if not higher”, according to Mr Wiebusch.
“There will be some impacts from the floods,” Comm Nugent said.
“It’s an imperfect science around forecasting. Sometimes you get more, sometimes less.”
“Seymour, Rochester Wangaratta and Shepparton will likely be impacted. To what degree and to what extent, you will have to wait and see.”
General information
People are being urged to have a flood plan ready and to leave early if they are going to seek shelter elsewhere and to have supplies for at least three days.
Anyone holidaying in the region is also urged to log on to ses.vic.gov.au to download flood warning maps and to know the risks for the area they are visiting.
Mr Wiebusch said he could not stress enough that people should not drive through floodwaters, after the SES had to rescue 38 people on Monday and into Tuesday morning throughout Victoria, some of whom had driven into flood water.
“Driving through floodwater is the single largest number of fatalities we see from weather events,” he said.
“Do not drive through floodwaters.
“It only takes takes 15cm for a small car to float, that’s the size of a pen,” he said.
For a standard size sedan, only 30cm of water is needed, while a four-wheel drive can float in 45cm of water – that is about the size of an A4 sheet of paper.