Floodwater Extent In Victoria Equal To Surface Area Of Luxembourg - Telegraph

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Australia is facing more flood chaos as a 'floodwater lake' the size of Luxembourg is bearing down on scores of towns in the southern Australian state of Victoria, threatening tens of thousands of homes. Over the past two weeks, swollen rivers following torrential rains have merged to create a flood zone measuring 55 miles long and 24 miles wide.

More than 70 communities and 4400 people have already been affected by widespread flooding across the state and many more are expected to be swamped as the mass of water moves downstream towards the sea.

As the flood advanced through the countryside on Monday, the residents of Swan Hill, which lies directly in its path, were rushing to protect their homes before the Loddon River peaks at 16ft on Thursday.

Over the next few days more than 120,000 sandbags will be dropped into the town, which is expected to be cut off for several days once the floods hit. They are in such high demand that several sandbags placed on a levee were stolen over the weekend, presumably be home owners desperate to safeguard their properties. While the residents of Swan Hill waited to see if the town levee would hold, emergency officials were preparing for potential flooding further along the Murray River – a vital lifeline in the southeast which had been hard hit by a recent protracted drought.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8278542/Australia-floods-floodwaters-the-size-of-Luxembourg-bearing-down-on-Australian-towns.html