Flooding is mainly caused by heavy rainfall that exceeds the capacity of normal water courses and bodies of water.

Flood events can cause severe damage to key infrastructure such as roads and bridges, water, sewerage and electrical assets, as well as possible loss of life and economic losses in affected regions.

Social disruption also occurs, particularly when people are displaced from their homes and normal community facilities are damaged. The immediate impact can endure for weeks, or months if flood waters move or dissipate slowly.

Examples of major flood events include the 2010-11 floods that covered about one-third of Victoria. This is the worst recorded flood event for the state. This event led to a major independent review: The Review of the 2010-11 Flood Warnings and Response.

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Publish year Assurance activity Summary Organisation
2024 Women Rising: Empowering Flood Recovery in the Loddon Mallee Region (External link) Natural disasters exacerbate existing gender inequalities and cause unequal health, social and economic outcomes that disproportionately affect women, including an increase in gendered violence. Considering the unique challenges of the 2022 Victorian floods, Women's Health Loddon Mallee responded with a multifaceted approach to support gender equality and women’s wellbeing approaches in emergency planning and management Independent
2024 Interim report on 2022 flood in northern Victoria (External link) An interim report with 6 findings primarily focused on northern Victoria, it highlights the views of people with direct experience of the floods. The report has a focus on recovery including financial support, temporary accommodation, debris and structural damage, infrastructure, insurance, and community support. Parliament of Victoria
2024 Our Community, Our Voice: Lessons from the 2022 Maribyrnong Flood (External link) Featuring stories of women and their families in Maribyrnong who experienced flooding this report outlines their experiences of the disaster response in 2022, as well as their attempts to recover and rebuild their lives in the aftermath. It makes recommendations to improve disaster planning, response and recovery in urban contexts and to ensure diverse communities are adequately prepared for the impacts of climate change and future disasters. Independent
2023 Statement of Victorian Government Recovery Actions - June 2021 Victorian Flood and Storms (External link) The Statement covers the period from 9 June 2021 to 29 August 2022 and sets out the initial identified impacts of the June 2021 flood and storm event, agreed short term State-level recovery initiatives, and supporting governance and reporting arrangements. Emergency Recovery Victoria
2023 Communities at the centre: Insights from the Multicultural Resilience Project (External link) Following the devastating floods across Victoria in October 2022, VCOSS initiated the Multicultural Resilience Project to support multicultural communities across the north and north-west of the state to continue to recover, rebuild, and strengthen resilience in the case of future disasters. The insights report highlights the common experiences, challenges, strengths and needs of regional multicultural communities during and after the floods. Victorian Council of Social Service
2023 Maribyrnong River Flood Review (External link) An independent technical review that examined the causes and contributors to the flood event in the urban catchment, the report makes 15 recommendations for Melbourne Water. Recommendations include more regular reviews of flood models, investigate long-term sustainable flood mitigation options for the Maribyrnong River; use of hydraulic model to confirm the impact of the Flemington Flood Wall and more frequent flood and rainfall forecasting 
 Independent
2023 Multicultural Communities Experience of the 2022 Victorian Floods (External link) This report reveals the key issues multicultural communities faced during Victoria’s 2022 devastating flood event. It found that multicultural communities, particularly those who are newly arrived and those on temporary visas, were at far greater risk of harm during the 2022 floods, had high levels of fear and anxiety, and gained information about the floods in very different ways compared to the mainstream community. Independent
2022 Community Report - June 2021 Extreme Weather Event (External link) A report that outlines key lessons identified from the extreme weather event of 2021, including what went well and areas for improvement. It aims to ensure that lessons of significance to both agencies and communities are considered, implemented and shared across the emergency management sector and with impacted communities. Emergency Management Victoria
2020 VICSES Community Safety Program for flood (External link) A report detailing how VICSES works with communities and partners to achieve more aware, informed and prepared communities; supporting them to understand their flood risk and the relevance of taking action before, during and after emergency events. Victoria State Emergency Service
2020 VICSES Community Safety Program for flood (External link) An overview of the Victoria State Emergency Service Community Safety Program for flood, which demonstrates how VICSES works with communities and partners to achieve more aware, informed and prepared communities; supporting them to understand their flood risk and the relevance of taking action before, during and after emergency events. Victoria State Emergency Service