The Latest Breaking News from SES

The SES is urging people not to take matters into their own hands. One of the rescuers, meanwhile, says language barriers may have prevented some people from evacuating before they became stranded.

Thousands of people have been displaced by floodwaters across Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales as they move downstream, and the clean-up is beginning.

MORNING BRIEFING: Residents from an Indigenous community on the NSW-Victorian border are being evacuated as the flood threat intensifies.

Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews says more than 11,000 people have applied for emergency flood relief payments, giving authorities an idea of the number of people affected by the crisis. Flood conditions in Shepparton have stabilised, but residents in Echuca will face another peak in 48 hours.

The time to leave areas of Central Victoria passed on Sunday with emergency crews warning anyone remaining in Shepparton, Orrvale, Mooroopna and Elmore to Rochester to find high ground as flood waters rise.

As flood damage is assessed and authorities downgrade warnings in Tasmania, they say the danger has not yet passed and have urged people to remain vigilant.

Thousands of people in communities throughout northern Victoria are told it's too late to leave as flooding exceeds the devastation of 2011.

Victorian authorities warn flooded rivers yet to peak and prepare for one of the largest evacuation operations in the state’s history

Evacuation orders are in place in parts of Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania as flooding continues to impact residents.