Moama and Echuca residents are bracing for potential flooding in the coming days with heavy rainfall and rising water levels across the region.
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The NSW State Emergency Service issued advice at 4.19pm on Thursday, warning Moama residents to stay informed about predicted flooding on the Murray River.
“Recent severe weather has resulted in heavy rainfall, which may see large inflows in to the Murray River. Residents are asked to monitor the conditions,” NSW SES said.
“You should stay informed by monitoring warnings issued by NSW SES on their website and Facebook page, listening to your local ABC radio station, and checking the latest weather information from the Bureau of Meteorology online.”
As of 2pm on Thursday, the level of the Murray River was 92.94 mAHD, which has surpassed the 2011 reading.
The warning from the SES urged people to review their emergency plan and discuss a plan of action if they need to evacuate.
Locals are urged to obey all signs about road closures and instructions from emergency services, and to never drive, walk, ride through, play or swim in flood water.
Meanwhile across the bridge, shops in Echuca were closed on Thursday with rain lashing the region.
Echuca copped 55mm in the 24 hours leading up to 9am on Thursday and the wet weather continued.
Shops in the CBD on Hare St were shuttered, while the Woolworths on Annesley Street also closed for parts of Thursday afternoon.
Coliban Water also issued a boil water advisory for customers in Echuca.
“Customers in Echuca are advised to boil their water until further notice,” the alert at 11am on Thursday said.
“Excess storm water has entered one of our treated water storage tanks, which may compromise the safety of drinking water.”
SANDBAGGING EFFORT
Members of the community and the SES have come together to help those at risk of flooding with dozens of people helping prepare sandbags in Echuca.
The sandbag hub opened up on Thursday morning, with dozens of people volunteering their time to help put them together alongside SES members.
People from Echuca and Rochester were coming to collect the sandbags.
A SES member at the site said he estimated at least 10 truckloads of sand had been dropped off by mid-afternoon, and he said at least 50 people had been there to help out during the day.
The member said the community support and effort from the volunteers had been fantastic.
Domino’s had dropped off pizzas during the day to help feed those at the site.
Sandbag-making was expected to go into Thursday evening, with arrangements being made for lights to be set up at the site.
RELIEF CENTRE
The Campaspe Shire Council has opened up a relief centre in Echuca for Rochester residents who have been affected by the floods and high waters.
The centre is located at the Echuca South Basketball Stadium, located at 244 High Street, Echuca.
The relief centre opened at 2pm on Thursday, with Rochester residents told of the plans at community information nights held earlier in the week.
Victoria Police urged Rochester residents to contact Echuca Police Station for assistance on relocation.
“Any residents from the Rochester area planning on evacuating from low-lying areas of Rochester in light of the current weather event are requested to contact Echuca Police Station on (03) 5483 1500 and register their details,” Victoria Police said.
“Police are also requesting any vulnerable members of the community who have no means to be able to self-evacuate and wish to do so to contact Echuca Police on (03) 5483 1500 for arrangements to be made for transport to the evacuation centre.”
Campaspe Shire Council Mayor Chrissy Weller said the Council was ready to do what it could to support residents in need.
“The relief centre can be as flexible as we need it to be. The situation is constantly evolving and Council will adapt to meet community demand,” Cr Weller said.
“Our team is completely prepared no matter what situation arises. If we experience a great deal of need from the community, we have other venues ready to go if we require further shelter.
“If we experience little to no need, we will try to arrange shelter for each person individually as they arrive.
“Council is being supported by the Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Victorian Council of Churches to attend to evacuees and to provide food.”
TREE DOWN AT PORT OF ECHUCA
The high winds and high water levels had an impact at the Port of Echuca with a large tree falling on two boats moored there.
The tree fell on Thursday afternoon, damaging both the Murray Explorer and the paddle steamer Emmylou.
Nobody was aboard the Explorer at the time of the incident. The crew of the Emmylou was onboard when the tree fell, but there were no injuries.
The newer, smaller Explorer was the boat that sustained most of the damage, with the tree hitting the roof and breaking a window on the right-hand side of vessel. The Emmylou only sustained minor damage.
Murray River Paddlesteamers managing director Rohan Burgess said the situation could have been a lot worse.
“Fortunately, the most important thing is nobody has been injured,” Burgess said.
“All the crew were onboard, but they were fortunately away from the damaged areas and unaffected. Everything is repairable, but people aren’t.”
He said it was a close call safety wise, with the Emmylou moments away from having guests onboard.
“If it was about 10 minutes later we would have had 16 people of our guests going out on a four-night cruise on that deck,” Burgess said.
“The Murray Explorer has taken the brunt of the damage, which if you want to find some silver lining, she has taken the brunt instead of the beautiful Emmylou.
“The Explorer is pretty extensively damaged along the top roofline, but she is a pretty standard build so she should be easily repaired, so that is okay.
“The Emmylou has a few air conditioners out and a handrail down. We might have a few problems with the roof, but it is not too bad.”
Burgess said the PS Canberra, which was also moored nearby at the time, was being relocated as a precaution.