Key Points
- Victorians face warnings of 'blue sky' floods ahead of this week's predicted downpour.
- Victorians are urged not to get complacent as the state experiences 'blue sky' flooding.
Victorians have been warned to safeguard against ‘blue sky’ flooding as the state welcomes clearing clouds and little to no rainfall after last week’s damaging deluge.
With minimal rainfall and a clear sky over the past few days, authorities are worried residents across the state may become complacent and underestimate the dangers of the ongoing flood threat.
Victorian State Emergency Service Chief Operations Officer Tim Wiebusch says Victorians need to continue to pay attention to the issued warnings despite the clear sky as during this period, the rising flood levels stem from overflowing rivers.
“The scenario we're going to find ourselves in, on and off for the next few weeks, is we'll have periods of very heavy and extreme rainfall which mean our rivers will be at moderate to major flooding levels,” Mr Wiebusch said on Monday.
“Then we’ll see the blue sky, but the rivers will continue to rise and impact communities.”
The SES COO has warned Victorians of more floodwater inundations in coming days and says communities can expect rain intervals followed by blue skies at least for the next month.
“The state will have blue skies as we're heading into the latter part of the week, and whilst the rain might come again on Thursday, we're going to see - for the next six to eight weeks - potential for these rain events that will come and go in between blue skies,” he said.
CFA crews work to sandbag Campaspe Esplanade in the town of Echuca, Victoria. Source: AAP / BRENDAN MCCARTHY
Anthony Albanese visits flood-hit Victoria
The focus has remained on northern Victoria, where thousands of residents were told it was too late to evacuate as waters rose.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecasted major flooding for Shepparton, Charlton, Murchison, Barham and the Wimmera River, Avoca River, Loddon River, Campaspe River, Goulburn River, Seven and Castle Creeks, Broken River, Murray River.
Major flooding is also forcasted at Echuca/Moama, with several other minor to moderate flood warnings in place around the state.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese toured flood-hit parts of Victoria, including the capital Melbourne, on Sunday, as three south-eastern states continued to grapple with a flood crisis after days of heavy rain.
"Australians are coming together, they are helping each other out and once again we are seeing at the worst of times, the best of the Australian character," Mr Albanese said while in the city, where a major flood clean-up was underway.
Mr Albanese said the "very severe weather event" was hitting urban and regional communities and that 60 Australian Defence Force personnel were assisting with evacuations and sandbagging.
He announced emergency payments of $1000 to Victorians who had been seriously injured or had their homes severely damaged or destroyed.
Parts of NSW and northern regions of Tasmania have also been warned to be vigilant in the weeks to come.
Widespread flooding is occurring across nothern Tasmania, with major flood warnings by the Bureau in place for the Meander and Macquarie rivers and minor flood warnings for North Esk and Mersey rivers.
