National

Hundreds of schools impacted by Vic floods

By AAP Newswire

Oct 21, 2022

CF crews work to sandbag Campaspe Esplanade in Echuca, Victoria. — Echuca locals have spent days building a two-kilometre makeshift flood levee through the town. -AAP Image

The full extent of the damage suffered during the flood crisis in Victoria is starting to become clear, with some students forced to attend different schools until the end of the year.

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An estimated 320 schools, 28 health services and 11 TAFEs have been impacted since the wild weather began in mid October.

As of lunchtime on Friday 63 childcare centres and 51 schools had shut.

The state government has set up aÂ $77.3 million Health and Education Recovery Fund to support the cleanup.

The money can be used for a variety of reasons including initial infrastructure repair works, emergency generators, portable classrooms and replacing school equipment or uniforms.

Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes said it would be distributed as soon as possible.

"Ensuring that they are returning to some form of normality, and making sure in particular (that) the kids are continuing with their education," Ms Symes told reporters.

Any residents still in flood zones have been urged to evacuate while they can with a reprieve for towns along the Murray River.

The worst of expected flooding is now forecast to hit on Sunday and could rise to match 1993 flood levels.

Towns further north along the Murray such as Swan Hill and Mildura have been warned floodwaters will reach them over coming weeks.

Isolated thunderstorms could deliver up to 30 millimetres of rain for already drenched parts of northern Victoria on Friday.

Jenny Panos, who co-owns a caravan park along the river at Barmah, said 13 of 60 units there had already been inundated.

"We are feeling pretty tired right now, and still quite nervous as there are a lot of mixed messages about how high the peak will be and what day it will arrive," Ms Panos told AAP.

"The waiting is frustrating, it is creating many sleepless nights and tiring days.

"The anxiety levels are running high. We are feeling very much over it and just want it to hurry up and come so that we can assess the damages and start the cleanup."

Residents at Cummeragunja Reserve, a nearby Aboriginal community on the NSW side of the river, received extra support and sandbags over the past few days.

Anyone in Echuca who has not already left has been told to limit water usage, including showers and washing machines, to reduce the amount sent to sewers.