UPDATED: Rochester flood threat as heavy rain forecast to hit today, tomorrow

For those people unable to attend the meeting, the SES urged the important points delivered at the meeting were as follows:

“If rain falls as predicted by the BOM and North Central Catchment Management Authority, Rochester is most likely going to get a major flood at 114.9m,” the Rochester SES Unit stated.

“Worst case is a major flood at 115.3m, January 2011 was a peak of 115.4m.”

Sandbags will be available for the community to fill and or collect today at Rochester Recreation Reserve (Moon Oval) from 11am until 7pm.

There are reports of flooding in parts of Rochester, including Mackay St and Dudley St.

It comes as the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) predicts rainfall of up to 85mm across the district today and tomorrow.

BOM senior meteorologist Kevin Parkin said the wet weather was forecast to hit today.

“This event is probably the most significant and widespread across the state this year,” Mr Parkin said.

"What I'm most concerned about is the intensity of the rain that will peak on the Thursday.

"So we've got a short-term flash flood risk as a result of the rainfall intensity, and then a longer term riverine flooding risk because it takes a while for some of the waters to find their way down Victoria's river systems."

A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds is in place for people in Central, Mallee, Northern Country, North Central, North East and parts of East Gippsland, South West, West and South Gippsland and Wimmera Forecast Districts.

Premier Daniel Andrews said emergency services were prepared for a major response across the state.

"It's not a minor rain event that we are forecasting," he said.

Emergency Management Victoria deputy commissioner Chris Stephenson said it was important for communities to be prepared.

“This will ensure our staff and volunteers can focus their efforts on where it’s needed most,” he said.

As of 10am yesterday, the level of the Murray River at Echuca was 92.84 mAHD, just shy of the peak in 2011.

The Campaspe River has continued to rise in Echuca, as highlighted best by Lions Park on Campaspe Esplanade, which was yesterday submerged by flood water.

Lake Eppalock was at 108.37 per cent capacity yesterday (340,143 ML).

The Murray River at Torrumbarry Weir was forecast to reach about 7.7m yesterday, with moderate flooding expected.

Torrumbarry was the scene of a community meeting on Friday night attended by Nationals leader and the State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh.

Mr Walsh said he would write to Victorian Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes seeking urgent repairs to levee banks around Torrumbarry.

During the community meeting, he heard widespread concerns that years of damage to levee banks could leave the district exposed to flooding as rain keeps falling across the state and river levels keep rising.

He says under SES guidance, the meeting also established sites for future sand dumps if sandbagging became necessary and agreed to appeal for camping to be closed until the flood threats had passed.

“It’s not a crisis yet, but the memories of 2010/11 are still raw in many minds in this part of the state,” Mr Walsh said.

“No-one wants a repeat of that.

“Which is why tonight’s proactive meeting was such a big step in the right direction – with sand dump sites earmarked for the land between the hotel and community hall and at the tennis courts.

“The damage, and subsequent wear and tear, to the levee banks has been largely caused by campers and off-roaders, who knock down the tops of them so they can get their vehicles up and over.

“To fix that you must have an excavator to get the job done properly, and trying to do it when the water is already there is way too late.”