Parts of Mildura told to evacuate as swollen Murray River rises

Rising floodwater has triggered an emergency alert for parts of Mildura, with people being told to evacuate immediately and that some homes will be inundated.

Vic Emergency advised anyone living on streets neighbouring Mildura Racecourse to evacuate, saying that roads in and out of the area were likely to be hit by deep floodwater, potentially isolating residents for weeks.

Others in low-lying areas of nearby Nichols Point and Bruces Bend were being told to prepare to evacuate on Thursday afternoon.

That included people living on First Street, Bruces Bend, Keating Avenue, Billabong Road and Karadoc Avenue. The warning also applied to those on Cureton Avenue, Etiwanda Wetlands and surrounding areas.

A relief centre has opened at the Alfred Deakin Centre on Deakin Avenue in Mildura and people who remained in the flood zone were being warned they could lose power, water, sewerage and telephone services.

There are multiple flood warnings in place along the Murray River downstream of the Hume Dam near Wodonga, and water levels at Echuca remain at heightened levels after major flooding swamped the town and entered almost 200 hundred houses last month.

The Bureau of Meteorology said moderate flooding was occurring at Echuca and Moama, where the river level was expected to remain above 94.20 metres (Australian height datum) into early next week.

At the Torrumbarry and Barham rivers, levels are expected to remain near the major flood level for several days. At Swan Hill, minor flooding is occurring, and the river level may fall below the minor flood level at the weekend, the bureau said.

Moderate flooding was also occurring along the Murray River at Corowa and Tocumwal, and minor flooding was at Albury and Yarrawonga.

Earlier this week, the South Australian government unveiled a $51.6 million assistance package for property owners likely to be impacted by floodwater in the state in coming weeks.

The flooding along the Murray in South Australia is expected to be the worst since the 1970s, with more than 4000 properties, including shacks, homes and businesses, likely to be inundated.

Last week, major flooding along the Lachlan River inundated the NSW towns of Condobolin and Euabalong.

With AAP

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