AUTHORITIES have warned Horsham residents to brace for a one-in-200 year flood as the Wimmera River reaches its peak sometime tomorrow.
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A flood incident control centre spokesman said although the flood was likely to be a one-in-100 year event, authorities were planning for the worst case scenario.
Under the one-in-200 year flood scenario, 111 homes would be flooded in Horsham. All those homes were doorknocked yesterday.
Wimmera River levels began to rise yesterday afternoon with the level at Lubeck breaking the 1909 flood record by 300 millimetres.
The spokesman said water levels were already high around Dimboola, Warracknabeal and Horsham.
"The peak is going to reach Horsham on Tuesday, we can't say what time yet, but it will be Tuesday. And then it will reach Dimboola on Thursday," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said although authorities were planning for the worst, including the Horsham bridge getting cut off, people should not panic.
"We have included a scenario of the Horsham bridge being cut because we are looking at all the options," the spokesman said. "People need to be aware of the fact they may not be able to get to work or get food. But in saying that, we need people not to panic. This is not a flood like in Queensland, there is no inland tsunami, there is no need to panic-buy.
"Houses may get water in them and businesses may be affected but we need people to remain calm."
The spokesman said the Wimmera River was expected to peak at Horsham between 3.8 metres and 3.85 metres tomorrow.
Horsham Mayor Michael Ryan attended a community meeting with more than 300 concerned residents at Horsham College yesterday afternoon.
"This is very stressful time for residents and for the management group," Cr Ryan said. ''This meeting was important for people to get accurate information, but we must remember the information is constantly changing and being updated."
While hundreds of concerned people attended the meeting, other people living in the area highlighted as a flood risk were not concerned.
Lyn Hourigan had sandbags delivered to her Gillespie Street home but yesterday afternoon they were still on a pallet and being used as a climbing obstacle by her children.
"I am fairly relaxed about it, I mean what can you do?" You can't help Mother Nature," Mrs Hourigan said.
"I might put the sandbags out later, but I don't even know if the river will get that high really."
Around the corner in Menadue Street, neighbours worked to sandbag homes.
Margaret Ladlow said sandbags were dropped off yesterday but she wasn't going to put them out.
"I didn't really think the river would get that high so I wasn't going to put them out and then a team of workers arrived and did it for me," Mrs Ladlow said. "They weren't all labourers, they were my neighbours. People have been very helpful."