PREMIER Denis Napthine has urged Victorians to visit the tornado-ravaged communities along the Murray River over the Easter holidays, saying it will be the best way to help the battered towns recover.
Dr Napthine flew in on Sunday to inspect the damage from the ground and the air, including visiting a fruit farm that was flattened by the ferocious winds.
The State Emergency Service said 24 houses were uninhabitable because of damage caused by the tornado.
There are 15 uninhabitable houses in Koonoomoo, seven in Bundalong and two in Rutherglen; another 35 properties have been damaged in the region.
The tornadoes passed through the state's north-east on Thursday evening, with most damage occurring in Yarrawonga, Bundalong, Rutherglen, Mulwala, Koonoomoo and Cobram, injuring dozens of people.
Dr Napthine visited Koonoomoo and Bundalong and told reporters the ''devastating tornado'' had been classified in the F3 category, with winds between 250km/h and 300km/h.
''The devastation in the area affected has just been horrific,'' Dr Napthine said.
''One of the best ways you can help this community recover is to come up here to visit.
''Come up here over Easter; it will be open for business, it will be a great place to visit and come up here and show your support for the local community.''
Dr Napthine paid tribute to the resilience of residents and the hard work of SES volunteers and the local council. He acknowledged the damage to businesses, as well as homes.
''It is a very narrow strip of affected area, but the devastation of those affected properties and those particular businesses and farms has been astronomical,'' Dr Napthine said.
The state and federal governments have announced assistance packages and Dr Napthine said he would continue talking to the Commonwealth about what other assistance could be offered, especially to businesses.
The Insurance Council said the incident had not been declared a ''catastrophe'', so it was hard to put a figure on the damage bill.
The council has urged anyone affected to lodge claims as soon as possible with insurers, which it said would work quickly to assist policyholders.
''It is very important that insurers come and assess the damage and give homeowners the go-ahead to undertake repairs.''
