As it happened: Kerang, Horsham on high alert as SES issues more evacuation orders across state; BOM warns of more rain

There are still 13 major emergency warnings current as part of Victoria’s flood crisis this morning.

As of 6am today, residents of Echuca, Charlton, Bunbartha, Zeerust, Mundoona and Kaarimba in Victoria’s north were still being told to evacuate their homes immediately.

By 3pm, Charlton had been downgraded to a watch and act alert, but Barmah – on the Murray River north-east of Echuca – had been issued with an emergency warning to evacuate immediately.

Those in Shepparton, Mooroopna, Orrvale, Murchison and Kialla West are still being instructed that it is too late to leave their properties, and they should shelter at the highest possible location due to flooding.

VicEmergency has 60 current warnings and advice notices – primarily related to floods – which can be viewed on its website.

That brings our live flood coverage to an end for today - thanks for reading.

Here’s the situation as it stands:

• More rain is threatening to exacerbate Victoria’s flood crisis, with thunderstorms expected in the north of the state from Wednesday.
• Flood affected families will be able to send their three and four-year-olds to kinder for free this term, while VCE students affected by floods will get special consideration for exams.
• In Echuca, a 2½ kilometre levee will protect the regional centre, but leave 190 homes at risk of inundation.
• The defence force is doubling the number of personnel in Victoria, from about 200 to 400.

Please stay safe and keep up to date with the latest warnings on www.emergency.vic.gov.a

A great earthen levee wall now runs down 2.5 kilometres of Echuca’s suburban streets, separating parts of the city’s east from the rest of the regional centre.

When the Murray River floods – and the only question now is by how much – that earthen wall will protect hundreds of properties from inundation.

On the other side of the levee, floodwaters could pool and rise, spelling possible disaster for about 190 homes.

“That’s a bit of a kick in the guts for us, and for everyone who’s behind it,” said Hayden Moore, whose home on Pakenham Street is all but certain to be flooded this week.

You can read more about Echuca’s levee here.

Environment reporter Miki Perkins has spoken about the Victorian floods and what they have to do with climate and La Nina – and if this is the new normal – on our podcast Please Explain.

Listen and share your thoughts on what’s happening in Victoria.

As mentioned at the Premier’s press conference earlier, the Bureau of Meteorology is expecting more rain to develop from tomorrow.

The storms and showers forecast are not as severe as those which hit the state and caused widespread flooding last week, but could worsen the current conditions in Victoria’s north.

Weatherzone is also predicting that wet weather will hit the state on Thursday and worsen across the weekend.

The graphic below also appears to show particularly heavy falls on Sunday.

Storms have already hit South Australia and the Northern Territory over the past 24 hours.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was in Shepparton earlier today and viewed the floodwaters around the town from a helicopter.

Watch below to see some flooded areas near the northern Victorian city from above: