RESIDENTS will defy the threat of a deadly wave of water, with many returning to homes in Wangaratta’s leaking levee bank zone yesterday.
The homeowners from Wilson Road and surrounds say the flood level is falling and the risk diminishing.
But emergency service authorities played down talk of a beat-up, saying expert advice was the bank could still fail.
The SES thought about 10 people had stayed in the Wilson Road area but residents say there are many more.
SES North East Victoria regional manager Keith O’Brien said the fault in the levee now identified at the eastern end of Thomas Street was being weakened constantly while there was floodwater in the Ovens and King rivers.
Late yesterday contractors moved in to shore up the leaking levee but a fix is at least three days away.
Mr O’Brien said the breach could occur within hours, days or weeks.
“When that breach does occur the water will rush into the area inside the levee and, depending on the depth of water in the river, will jump two to three metres,” Mr O’Brien said.
He said residents had been told that if the levee broke, there would be assistance but their safety could not be guaranteed.
“We won’t necessarily know when it breaches — we’ll respond as soon as we know but there’s no guarantee that someone will be able to get there in time to save lives,” Mr O’Brien said.
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