Residents In Kerang, Echuca Warned It’s Too Late To Leave As Murray River Rises
Wide-spread thunderstorms
Residents in already flood-ravaged communities wait with bated breath with a new wet weather system set to hit.
South east Queensland was smashed overnight, with heavy rainfall heading south, putting towns along the New South Wales, Victorian border on high alert.
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The Bureau’s Dean Narramore said the wild weather is expected continue into the weekend.
“On Friday that pattern will continue with wide-spread thunderstorms across eastern-Queensland, eastern NSW and much of Victoria, with severe thunderstorms once again likely in similar areas with large hail, damaging winds and especially heavy rainfall which could leave to flash flooding.”
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted the Murray River will peak on Friday at 95 metres above sea level, with locals preparing for serious flooding.
Dubbed the Great Wall of Echuca, a 2.5-kilometre-long levee has been built from nearly 200,000 sandbags in and around Echuca to try to protect properties or get it ready for protection as the Murray River reaches levels not seen for 150 years.
Meantime, emergency services have warned residents in the town of Kerang, which sits about halfway between Echuca and Swan Hill that it’s too late to leave.
SES have said the town may be isolated "for a significant amount of time" when the nearby Loddon River overflows cutting off roads.
Flood damage has already closed the main bridge out of the town, while the Murray Valley Highway between Swan Hill and Kerang is also shut.
On Thursday at 6:50am there were 49 warnings across Victoria, according to VicEmergency.
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