Australia live news: Majestic Princess disembarks despite Covid outbreak; Clare O’Neil announces anti-hacking offensive; Albanese at Cambodia summit

More flood warnings for Victorian communities

Communities in Victoria are bracing for another potential flood emergency, as New South Wales authorities warn residents to prepare for a “dangerous” wet weekend.

Victoria’s north-eastern areas are expected to face the brunt of the state’s flood threat on Sunday, with widespread showers and storms expected to cause moderate to major flooding.

The state’s north-east is forecast to receive between 60 millimetres and 90 millimetres of rain on Sunday.

The rest of the state will be under threat from heavy rainfall and large hailstones, while parts of Melbourne and Riverine communities could also experience flash flooding.

As of Friday evening, more than 40 flood alerts remained in place across the state, with a major flood warning for the Murray River.

It’s feared water could rise to about the same level as the devastating 1975 floods in low-lying areas along the Murray such as Mildura, Robinvale, Boundary Bend, and Wakool Junction.

The Hume Dam is already at 96% capacity, prompting authorities to release 95 gigalitres per day.

Cooler air will start to extend across Victoria into next week, leading to colder temperatures in Melbourne and snow returning to some of the state’s alpine peaks.

Forecasters expect above average rainfall in Victoria to persist for another six to eight weeks.

Across the border in NSW, authorities on Friday warned flood-prone communities to brace for a dangerous 72 hours, with widespread rainfall and thunderstorms expected across the state.

Some towns could experience flooding similar to levels seen in previous weeks, according to the State Emergency Service.

Major flood warnings remained in place on Friday for the Barwon, Darling, Macquarie, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Murray, Bogan, Namoi, Narran, and Culgoa rivers.

The emergency service cautioned people to watch out for landslips and falling trees, with some areas expecting flash flooding from short bursts of rain.

The federal government’s one-off disaster recovery payment scheme was extended to another five NSW local government areas on Friday.

People living in Cootamundra-Gundagai, Forbes, Liverpool Plains, the Snowy Valleys, and Upper Lachlan are now eligible to apply for $1000 per adult and $400 per child.

– AAP