More homes under threat in Vic north

Hundreds more homes are expected to be flooded in Victoria's north as the Loddon and
Avoca rivers gush towards the Murray.
The Wimmera River peaked at Horsham around midday (AEDT) on Tuesday as predicted and
towns further north are now in the firing line.
Upstream at Warracknabeal at least 244 homes are predicted to be inundated or
isolated on Wednesday or Thursday when the Yarriambiack Creek peaks and residents of
Kerang have been told to evacuate.
At least 200 homes in Kerang could become flooded if levee banks are unable to cope
with the rising Loddon River.
The State Emergency Service (SES) issued an evacuation warning to any resident in
Kerang unable to cope without electricity, water, sewerage and telephone connections
amid fears the town might be isolated for three days.
The Wimmera River is expected to peak in the town of Dimboola, home to about 1,800,
on Thursday and at Jeparit further north the same day or Friday.
Further north, the smaller towns of Brim and Beulah are then expected to be under
threat.
Gannawarra Shire mayor Max Fehring said there were fears Kerang would become
isolated to the east and north, while access roads into town from the south and west
have already been closed.
Sandbags are being sought from "every nook and cranny" to protect the district.
"We're very concerned for the rural part of our community," Mr Fehring said.
"The flood banks that they've got are not likely to stand any of the pressure that's
going to come at them.
In the centre of the town of 3,780 people, a stronger levee bank is expected to hold
against the floodwater - "but it's going to be totally tested," Mr Fehring said.
"If it really let go it'd be 200 plus homes (flooded) at least."
Threatened residents have been doorknocked and 25,000 sandbags have been delivered.
SES Director of Operations Trevor White said the state was experiencing flooding in
the north and northwest to an extent not seen since records began.
"That's resulted in significant areas in those vast rural flood plains between the
Loddon, Avoca and Campaspe river catchments being transformed into inland lakes," he
told reporters in Melbourne.
Premier Ted Baillieu said it was vital communities prepare for floods as the large
volume of water hurtled towards the Murray River.
"The Wimmera, Loddon and Avoca Rivers remain at major flood level and flooding will
continue into next week in many of these communities," he told reporters.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, the floods which began late last week had affected
1,700 properties in more than 50 towns, more than 4,000 people and there has been
more than 5,800 requests for assistance.
There has been more than 100 flood-related rescues, including over 50 in cars.
Mr Baillieu reflected on the death of eight-year-old Lachlan Collins, whose body was
recovered in a billabong off the swollen Goulburn River near Shepparton on Tuesday.
"This is not only a personal tragedy, it's a tragedy for the community," he said.
Mr Baillieu said some of the flood-hit communities were now moving from response to
recovery.
"There are challenges ahead, there is pain still to come but Victoria is focused and
Victorians are supporting each other through this crisis."
While at least 600 houses in Horsham are believed to have experienced flooding in
their front and back yards, only 10 homes have been inundated on Tuesday, but that
figure was expected to rise.
Power was also shut down to fewer properties than expected, although much of
Horsham's CBD was shut down on Tuesday.
State Emergency Service (SES) Incident Controller Stephen Warren said, while high
water levels would remain in town for some time, residents should have access
throughout the town on Wednesday.
West Horsham resident Brett Insall said the SES was out in the streets in the early
hours of Tuesday advising residents to evacuate, but he stayed at his Watonga Drive
home.
"At 5am they were out on the megaphone just yelling `evacuate'," he said.
"I'm not too worried about it. It's only water."
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared a catastrophe in north west
Victoria as a result of flooding and said Victorian policyholders should contact
their insurance companies as quickly as possible.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This email is intended for the use of the addressee only. If you receive this email
in error, please delete it immediately. This email may contain information which is
confidential and/or legally privileged. You must not use or disclose the contents of
this email, or add the sender's email address to any database, list or mailing list
unless you are expressly authorised to do so. The statements or views expressed in
this email are those of the individual sender and are not those of Australian
Associated Press Pty Ltd (AAP). These statements are not binding on AAP, except
where the sender expressly and with authority, states them to be. AAP is unable to
review the contents of all the email on its system. To the extent permitted by law,
AAP disclaims all liability for any loss or damage caused by the contents of this
email. www.aa