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Residents near the Maribyrnong River in Melbourne evacuate as floodwater spreads through suburb
Stranded residents have been rescued and dozens of others evacuated from Melbourne's west, after rapidly rising water from the Maribyrnong River flooded properties in the area.
Key points:
- Flooding near the Maribyrnong is expected to reach above floor level for single-storey homes
- Affected residents are being asked to travel to the nearby community centre
- Relief payments of up to $560 per adult will be offered by the Victorian Government to those displaced by the floods.
SES Rescue boat crews have spent Friday morning collecting people from their flooded homes around Maribyrnong, with some residents resorting to standing on their roofs and others holed up in multi-storey apartments.
Earlier, authorities said about 70 homes were affected by an evacuation warning, with police setting up roadblocks through the suburb of Maribyrnong.
Police knocked on Matt Iozzi's door in the early hours of this morning, telling him to leave his house immediately due to dangerous floods nearby.
"I packed an overnight bag, chucked it in my car, grabbed the passports and family photos," he said.
"Everyone is in a state of 'how is this actually happening?'.
"I spoke to a few neighbours, everyone was on their way out or planning to leave in the next 30 minutes after seeing how fast the water was rising."
The impacted properties are on Burton Crescent, Chifley Drive, Clyde Street Drive, Raleigh Road, Oakland Street , Duffy Street, Ensign Street, Leopold Street and Navigation Street.
Helicopter vision shows submerged cars, a pontoon floating down the river after being dislodged from its moorings, and water inundating nearby roads and buildings.
The evacuation warning advised that flooding is expected to reach above floor level for single storey homes.
Affected residents are being asked to travel to the nearby Maribyrnong Community Centre or the home of friends or family, with the safest evacuation route by foot to the community centre.
Locals have taken to social media, sharing videos of the river carrying debris downstream.
The evacuation warning for Maribyrnong residents comes after hours of heavy rain overnight, with more expected throughout the day today.
Flood relief payments announced by government
Premier Daniel Andrews said Victorians needed to prepare for the impacts of the floods to last up to eight weeks.
"Please be aware of your circumstances, that's how you make the very best decisions for your family and then by extension emergency services," he said.
Mr Andrews said the state government was offering one-off flood relief payments of $560 per adult and $280 per child for those who had been forced out of their homes. Mr Andrews said it was possible further payments would be granted.
"It's about getting people through that immediate challenge, where they're not in their home because their home has been flooded," he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"So it deals with food, shelter, medicines, things of that nature."
He said rainfall totals in some areas had broken records dating back to the 1970's.
Significant flooding is also hitting regional Victoria, where authorities predict 700 properties in the town of Rochester are at risk of isolation due to rising floodwater.
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