Flooding spreads to southern Australia

copters flew into remote areas of southern Australia on Tuesday to reach residents isolated by flooding, an emergency official said.

The latest wave of flooding to hit Australia is having a "huge" impact in Victoria state, said Ray Jasper, incident commander for emergency services there.

"We have houses inundated. We have a lot of isolated rural properties," he said, noting that helicopters would likely be delivering bread, milk and medicine to remote parts of the state for at least two weeks.

Potential for more major flooding in the state remains strong, CNN International Meteorologist Jennifer Delgado said. Officials were still surveying damage and bracing for more as the threat of more rain falling into swollen rivers loomed.

Search and rescue divers Tuesday found the body of an 8-year-old boy who fell into the water near a river the day before, Victoria police said.

Authorities were still preparing a coroner's report and had not officially linked his death to floods. But earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Julia Gillard mentioned the boy's disappearance as she briefed reporters on the country's flooding crisis.

"We know many communities are anxiously waiting as floodwaters rise, and many townships across Victoria have already been impacted by floodwaters," she said. "We also know that a small boy is missing, and so these are very difficult times in Victoria."

Gillard said she spoke with victims at a shelter in the state Monday -- many of whom had been evacuated from their homes and did not know what they would find when they
Authorities were still preparing a coroner's report and had not officially linked his death to floods. But earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Julia Gillard mentioned the boy's disappearance as she briefed reporters on the country's flooding crisis.

"We know many communities are anxiously waiting as floodwaters rise, and many townships across Victoria have already been impacted by floodwaters," she said. "We also know that a small boy is missing, and so these are very difficult times in Victoria."

Gillard said she spoke with victims at a shelter in the state Monday -- many of whom had been evacuated from their homes and did not know what they would find when they