Floods Victoria: Covid quarantine center will finally be operational as flood victims move into residence

Victoria’s $580 million abandoned quarantine center will be converted to accommodate victims of the state’s ongoing flood crisis, Prime Minister Daniel Andrews confirmed.

In a joint press conference with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Mr Albanese revealed that the 1 facility, 40km north of Melbourne in Mickleham and known as the Center for National Resilience, will instead be used to accommodate people forced to leave their homes. evacuate.

There are 250 beds available, with Australian Defense Force personnel on the ground to bring people to the complex.

“We can be ready to bring residents to that facility in the next few days and we will provide meals for each of them, three meals a day, they will have access to health care, both mental and physical, health care, 24/7,” said Mr Andrews at a press conference in Bendigo.

Victoria’s quarantine center, the Center for National Resilience in Mickleham, will house victims of the state’s flood crisis

Mr Andrews confirmed that additional support is being given to the local government areas affected by the crisis.

“Systems are working well, people are working together and it’s a really positive – although it’s a challenging time – there’s a positive sense of partnership across all our agencies,” he said.

“We have 13 emergency services across the state, doing everything from damage assessment to delivering supplies and equipment to otherwise isolated communities, as well as rescue work.”

The Victorian government also provided contingency payments of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child.

Anthony Albanese appeared next to Daniel Andrews at the press conference in Bendigo

The Victorian quarantine facility was funded by the federal government and was open for just eight months at a cost of $580 million (photo, front of Mickleham center)

Mr Albanian praised the work of the emergency services and said the federal government would help the state with aid.

“I pay tribute to the volunteers and the people in these communities who are once again demonstrating such resilience despite the enormous pressure they are under.

‘Australians come together and help each other and one more time; we see the best of Australian character in the worst of times,” he said.

State SES COO Tim Wiebusch said the situation is “far from over” and urged people to follow the latest update

“There are still many communities at risk from flood warnings at this point,” he said at the news conference.

Residents of Shepparton’s Victorian Regional Center have been ordered to evacuate as water continues to rise

Thousands of people have seen their homes flooded with rising water, with fears that some could be killed.

More than 1,000 people in Echuca and Echuca Village have been told to leave their homes and authorities have advised them to stay away for seven to 10 days.

Echuca Village is expected to be affected by the effects of the Goulburn and Murray rivers by mid-next week.

Authorities predicted that about 200 homes in Echuca would be affected by flooding.

Residents in the northern Victorian town of Echuca have mounted a desperate defense of their properties with sandbags

The Campaspe River is said to surpass 2011 flood levels at Echuca on Saturday.

There have been more than 450 rescues since the floods started on Wednesday and 88 rescues in the past 24 hours.

On Saturday, a 71-year-old man was found drowned on his property in the northern Victorian city of Rochester, with police unable to reach him.