The Maribyrnong River in Melbourne’s inner north east has broken its banks, forcing many residents to flee their homes.
Two decades ago everybody was convinced that this scenario was impossible.
Wrong:
Dozens of residents living near the Maribyrnong River in Melbourne’s north-west are being urged to evacuate their homes, as flood waters rise rapidly.
Around 70 homes are affected by the emergency warning.
Affected properties are on Burton Crescent, Chifley Drive, Clyde Street Drive, Raleigh Road, Oakland Street , Duffy Street, Ensign Street, Leopold Street and Navigation Street.
Nearby buildings are already being inundated, with fast-flowing water already above the windows of the Angler’s Tavern.
Police have set up roadblocks and are doorknocking homes, urging residents to leave immediately.
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.
The evacuation warning comes after hours of heavy rain overnight, with more expected throughout the day today.
The bulk of the flooding is hitting regional Victoria, where authorities predict 700 properties in the town of Rochester are at risk of isolation due to rising floodwater.
Victoria is having a Flannery:
The footage being shared on social media is wild:
Maribyrnong river @7NewsMelbourne @9NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/iGAHJ46rge
— Ryan Hayward (@theryanhayward) October 13, 2022
More shots as the light improves of the swollen Maribyrnong River with the Anglers’ Tavern ground floor and beer garden inundated @BreakfastNews @abcnews @abcmelbourne pic.twitter.com/gualt5uidr
— Stephanie Ferrier (@FerrierSteph) October 13, 2022
SES boat on the scene here in Moonee Ponds, on the Maribyrnong River. Police on scene tell me the boat is rescuing stranded residents. pic.twitter.com/oVRGNRozOo
— Oliver Gordon (@olgordon) October 13, 2022
Maribyrnong river really said nup to the cup at the Flemington Pier #melbourneweather pic.twitter.com/R6lqz129q2
— Adrian Murdoch (@adrianjmurdoch) October 13, 2022
Shipping container vs bridge on the Maribyrnong River in Keilor. pic.twitter.com/mpMYNmpL94
— 3AW Breakfast (@RossAndRussel) October 13, 2022
By way of contrast, let’s have a look at Victoria’s desalination plant at Wonthaggi:
It costs the state $1.8 million per day. In recent decades the Victorian government also built a pipeline from the already struggling Murray to feed Melbourne’s water needs, based on the belief that it was never going to rain again and the rain which did fall would not fill the dams. You know what they didn’t build?
A dam.
They did not even build one. Several new ones would have come in handy right now.
But you know, even the rain that does fall won’t be enough to fill the dams….
Tim Flannery and every public official who made decisions based on his advice should face criminal prosecution.
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