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By LYALL JOHNSON and DAVID ADAMS, The Age Australia
Victoria can
expect a break in the dismal weather that has led to hundreds
of houses being hit by flash flooding and thousands of motorists
being stranded.
The Bureau
of Meteorology forecast a fine to mild Anzac Day with a top of
19 degrees. Only light drizzle was expected last night.
But officials
announced yesterday that the Anzac Day race meeting would be moved
from Flemington to Moonee Valley because of the state of the track
after rain.
In one of
the wettest three-day periods in 25 years, from Saturday to yesterday,
more than 100 millimetres of rain fell on Melbourne. More than
double that was recorded along the west coast at Aireys Inlet.
The deluge
effectively cut Melbourne off from Victoria's second-biggest city,
Geelong, after the Princes Freeway was closed at 3am due to flooding.
Police last night reopened the Geelong-bound section of the freeway
but Melbourne-bound lanes remain closed until today.
Motorists
travelling between the cities yesterday were forced to take lengthy
diversions via the Midland and Western Highways.
Much of the
state reported flooding. The Otway Ranges in the south-west, the
Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne, and eastern Victoria
were among the hardest hit.
The State
Emergency Service yesterday said more than 400 volunteers had
responded to more than 1000 calls since the rain began.
SES media
director Peter Cocks warned people not to enter flooded areas.
"Floods are serious and people have been killed in floodwaters,
so it is imperative that you avoid entering floodwater unless
you are absolutely certain it is safe to do so," Mr Cocks
said.
The RACV reported
more than 9000 calls by 5pm yesterday, after a record 15,000 calls
on Monday.
RACV spokesman
John Rees said resources were stretched by the demand and some
motorists had to wait up to five hours for help.
"It might
sound a long time but you have to remember there have been 9000
calls in less than 24 hours. We are doing the best we can,"
Mr Rees said.
He said motorists
should be extra cautious in the wet, drive slowly and allow extra
stopping distance.
Despite morning
fog and 83 millimetres of rain, Melbourne Airport reported no
problems.
In Geelong,
the Barwon River continued to rise over its banks. It was expected
to peak late yesterday at around 3.6 metres its highest level
in five years.
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