What’s expected?
This is what we know as of 8am on Friday:
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The Bureau of Meteorology has a severe weather warning for heavy rain for much of the state.
In our own patch, Bendigo has a 100 per cent chance of up to 50 millimetres of rain on Friday, and a 100 per cent chance of up to 80mm on Saturday.
More forecasts here:
What does that mean for our rivers?
The Campaspe, Avoca, Loddon and Goulburn rivers are among a handful of catchments on a Bureau of Meteorology flood watch list.
The list is not a flood warning, but instead described as a “heads-up” for future possible flooding.
The bureau said significant stream rises were expected in response to the forecast rainfall.
Widespread flooding is likely from Friday onwards in the catchments covered by this flood watch.
How to prepare with sandbagging?
Bendigo State Emergency Service volunteers set up an emergency sandbag collection point after hardware stores around the region sold out.
On Friday, you can again collect sandbags from 64 Adam Street in Quarry Hill, from 8am to noon.
On its Facebook page, Bendigo SES asked people to talk with its volunteers to decide if they did need sandbags or not.
Households will each be permitted 25 sandbags.
Bendigo SES asked people to source their own sand, or to consider using dirt.
Road closures
No closures as of yet. But as of Thursday afternoon, a flood warning is current for the Loddon and Avoca rivers in the northern region.
Possible flash flooding locations include the Pyrenees Highway, Wimmera Highway, Loddon Valley Highway, Calder Highway and the Calder Alternative Highway.
VicRoads has reminded all road users of the importance of taking extreme care in difficult driving conditions:
- Drive slowly in wet weather, and do not walk, ride or drive through flood waters
- Leave a greater distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
- Turn on your headlights
- Be alert for other road users who may be difficult to see, such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians
- If the rain is too heavy for your wipers to cope, the best course of action is to pull over and wait until visibility improves
- Make sure your car is safe and in a roadworthy condition – in particular, check tyres, windscreen wipers and brake lights
If you see any problems on roads, report them to the VicRoads Traffic Management Centre on 13 11 70. In an emergency call Triple Zero (000).
Keep updated on road closures here.
Live weather radar
Evacuation sites
We will update these as applicable.
Keep updated on news here:
If it’s an emergency?
Contact the SES on 132 500.
For the latest roads information visit traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au.
Cassandra Dalgleish
Digital specialist at the Bendigo Advertiser, via Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Formerly a news journalist and sub-editor. I do the behind-the-scenes work to help journalists bring their stories to life online.
Digital specialist at the Bendigo Advertiser, via Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Formerly a news journalist and sub-editor. I do the behind-the-scenes work to help journalists bring their stories to life online.
