‘Move to higher ground’: Watch and Act alert for Dandenong Creek

Westbound lanes of Heatherton Road, Dandenong North have been closed due to flooding at Dandenong Creek. (VicTraffic)

A Watch and Act emergency message has been issued for a rising Dandenong Creek this morning (16 July), with affected residents advised to move to higher ground.

Moderate flooding was expected to occur on the creek at Police Road Retarding Basin in Rowville and potentially Heatherton Road in Dandenong, according to a SES Victoria ‘Watch And Act’ message.

At the Police Road retarding basin, Dandenong Creek’s waters were 4.95 metres deep as of 9am – and expected to rise above the moderate flood level of 5 metres later this morning.

Heatherton Road between Stud Road and Monash Freeway has been closed in both directions due to flooding, according to the Department of Transport website.

The SES warned of potentially “substantial inundation” in rural and urban of the Dandenong Creek catchment.

“Flooding above floor level of a single-story home is likely to occur in some locations,” it stated.

Affected people were advised to “take actions immediately to protect your life and property, and move to higher ground”.

Details: emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/#!/warning/33819/moreinfo