Key Points
- Residents in Victoria's Barmah, lower Moira and Echuca asked to evacuate immediately
- Residents in Kerang asked to seek shelter because it's too late to leave
- Heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms could lead to flash flooding, damaging winds and large hail
Victoria's State Emergency Service (SES) has updated the emergency evacuation warning for towns bordering New South Wales.
The updated warning now includes residents north of Barmah between Moira Lakes Road and Broken Creek Road.
An evacuation warning is already in place for Barmah and Lower Moria along the Murray river.
Authorities have set up an emergency relief centre at Nathalia Community Sports Centre on 42 Robertson Street.
The safest evacuation route is through Picola to Murray Valley Hwy.
"If you do not evacuate, it is expected that you will be isolated within the next 24 hours by flood waters," the warning said.
Residents in Victoria's north Echuca and Echuca Village have been again asked to evacuate immediately.
"If you do not relocate now, you may become isolated for a number of days. If you choose to stay, emergency services may not be able to help you," the warning said.
Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp told Channel Seven that the next 24 to 48 hours would be tense for Echuca as the water level in the Murray creeps higher.
VICSES chief operating officer Tim Wiebusch said the flood emergency is "far from over."
He said they have responded to more than 8,000 requests for assistance, including 730 flood rescues.
Australian Defence Force and Queensland SES officers are also assisting with relief work in the state.
Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes said about $14 million will be spent on sending in hospital staff to flood affected areas for three months.
Victorian authorities asked residents in Kerang town to seek shelter because it's too late to leave, and the Murray Valley Highway has closed.
Mr Wiebusch said Kerang could be isolated for at least seven days.
Residents in Rochester have been asked to move to higher areas because of moderate flooding in the Campaspe River.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of thunderstorms across eastern Queensland, NSW, northern Victoria, and far eastern parts of South Australia, with isolated heavy falls on Thursday.
"Inland Queensland and NSW are likely to see severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, damaging winds and large hail. Giant hail is also possible," the bureau said.
The bureau said significant rain and thunderstorm in eastern and south-eastern Australia will continue into next week.
It could lead to flash flooding, damaging winds and large hail.
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If you are in a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000). Call the NSW SES on 132 500 and Victoria Emergency Services on 1800 226 226 if you have experienced damage from storms, wind, hail or a fallen tree and if a tree branch is threatening your property or a person's safety.
To access this information in other languages, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 (freecall) and ask them to call VicEmergency Hotline.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication impairment contact National Relay Service on 1800 555 677 and ask them to call the VicEmergency Hotline.