Flooding expected to last weeks, more rain coming

A man has been found dead at a home in Rochester in northern Victoria after floodwaters swept through the area, while thousands of residents in central Victoria have been told to evacuate or prepare to leave their homes, with no idea when they will be able to return.

The 71-year-old was found in the backyard of his home, which was cut off by floodwaters, yesterday morning.

Many Victorian communities are still under threat from floods, as they brace for an enormous cleanup and the state government bolsters crisis accommodation.

‘‘There is major flooding occurring in multiple catchments right across the state, [and] some communities will move more towards relief and recovery sooner as waters start to recede,’’ State Emergency Service (SES) spokesman Jamie Devenish said.

‘‘A lot of those northern catchments ultimately flow into the Murray, so [for] the Murray River, we’re probably looking at a protracted flood event for the next four to six weeks.’’

Emergency evacuation orders are in force for Charlton township at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, Orrvale near Shepparton, and the northeastern town of Wangaratta.

By yesterday afternoon, more than 460 homes had been damaged by floodwaters rising above floor level, and about 500 properties remained isolated.

The SES had performed about 350 rescues. Of those, 160 happened at properties in Rochester, when residents who chose to

remain in their homes had to be saved, while 150 involved people being rescued from stranded vehicles.

Shepparton in central Victoria’s Goulburn Valley has been bracing for its worst flood since 1974, with the Goulburn River set to reach the major threshold tomorrow before peaking on Tuesday. Residents have been told to evacuate.

Fourteen relief centres and 55 sandbag collection sites have been established across the state.

The extent of the damage in the inner Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong is starting to become clear after the Maribyrnong River breached its banks on Friday. Local MP Bill Shorten said many houses and a lot of community infrastructure had been damaged.

Victoria’s southwest and South Gippsland areas were forecast to receive further rain yesterday, with more widespread rain today.

Mostly dry conditions are forecast for tomorrow and Tuesday across the state, but flooding is expected to return later in the week.

GETTY IMAGES A man canoes down a flooded street in the Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong, whose residents are among the thousands of people evacuating their homes across Victoria.