(Commonwealth Union)_ Communities in northern Victoria are on high alert as they wait for the overflowing Murray River system to inundate houses when they discover a 65-year-old man dead in floods. According to authorities, the man was last seen Tuesday afternoon driving a tractor on a property off Blacksmiths Road in Nathalia. When he didn’t arrive at his house by 10 p.m. and the unattended tractor was discovered in floods, emergency services began a search. The man’s death was discovered by a family member Wednesday about 8:45 am in floods on Paynes Road, according to the police.
Although the precise circumstances have not yet been established, the death is not currently being investigated as a suspicious one. He passed away after a 71-year-old man was discovered dead in his Rochester home’s backyard on Saturday. According to Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Kevin Parkin, waters are still receding in certain areas of the state, but the likelihood of significant rainfall during thunderstorms expected in the next several days has decreased marginally. “Only thunderstorms are forecast for today’s extreme northwest of the state. No rain fell in the center or northern sections of the affected regions,” he informed reporters on Wednesday.
In the northern regions, isolated showers and thunderstorms are now anticipated for Thursday. Widespread showers are forecast on Friday and Saturday over the state, bringing two to 10 millimeters of rain, although the north-central and north-eastern regions of Victoria may see greater rainfall of up to 30 mm. We will be keeping a careful eye on that thunderstorm activity, Parkin said, issuing warnings for greater danger of flash flooding than of widespread heavy rain. Residents are urged to heed to flood warnings, evacuate or move to higher ground if required, and save up on emergency supplies like medicine in case they get cut off. The state government has launched a $73.5 million assistance package to assist farmers and business owners with clean-up after the floods damaged important agricultural areas and several small companies.
