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AAP
AAP
National
Adrian Black

Flood risk persists with downpours ahead

Alerts and warnings remain in place in Victoria where a major downpour is expected on Sunday. (Diego Fedele/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Almost 1000 Victorian households are without electricity as floods batter parts of the state and authorities urge residents to prepare for more heavy rain and storms into next week.

Victoria's State Emergency Service received more than 380 calls for assistance, including nine flood rescues, in the 24 hours to 10am on Saturday.

Western Victoria will be pummelled by heavy rain on Sunday afternoon and damaging northerly winds are expected across southern and elevated areas into Monday.

Water levels are expected to increase in various parts of the state, including northern, southern and far east regions.

An evacuation order remains in place at Echuca, where the Murray River could remain above the major flood level until November 5 or 6, authorities warn.

The threat at Kerang has been downgraded and authorities say residents are safe to return.

Emergency Victoria says It is not yet safe to return to Barmah or Lower Moira.

The Murray River at Torrumbarry Weir is expected to peak around 7.85 metres over the weekend, potentially causing major flooding.

Watch-and-act alerts have been issued at Wharparilla, Gunbower, Leitchville, Torrumbarry, and the Murray downstream of Tocumwal to Barham and Patho, where residents are advised to move to higher ground.

Watch-and-act alerts have also been issued for Falls Creek, Nathalia, King River, Ovens River downstream of Rocky Point, Seven Creeks south of Euroa, Bunbartha, Kaarimba, Mundoona and Bogong Village, where a landslide has occurred on the Bogong High Plains Road.

Closer to Melbourne, residents are advised to avoid flooded areas around Healesville, Warrandyte, Millgrove and Coldstream.

In Gippsland, a watch-and-act warning has been issued for the Latrobe River from Yallourn to Traralgon Creek.

Moderate flooding is expected downstream of Lake Eildon and may develop along the Goulburn River at Seymour on Sunday morning.

Victoria's Acting Chief Health Officer Suman Majumdar has warned widespread flooding could increase the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, along with food-borne and water-borne diseases, and uncommon conditions such as leptospirosis, carbon monoxide poisoning or illness relating to mould exposure.

Meanwhile, showers and a maximum temperature of 14C are forecast for Tuesday, which could mark the coldest Melbourne Cup Day on record since 1995.

Rain and storms are expected to hit various parts of NSW on Sunday through Monday after a mostly sunny Saturday.

But sheep graziers were told to be aware that cold temperatures, rain and westerly winds were likely on Saturday in the Southern Tablelands, parts of the Illawarra, Central Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and ACT districts.

There are currently 69 warnings across the NSW, including six emergency warnings in Murray Valley Regional Park, Mathoura East, Cummeragunja and parts of Moama.

NSW SES received 194 calls for assistance in the 24 hours to 3pm on Saturday, including six flood rescues.

Storms and damaging winds are expected in South Australia on Sunday from West Coast all the way down to Mount Gambier including Adelaide, the lower and eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and as far north as Leigh Creek.

Isolated thunderstorms will spread across much of Queensland over the weekend into Monday.

Strong and damaging northwesterly winds are expected in Tasmania in the coming days, where a moderate flood warning has been issued for the Macquarie River. Flooding is already occurring in the North Esk and South Esk Rivers and the Meander River.

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