Overwhelmed emergency workers plead for public patience – FLOOD CRISIS: [2 All-round First Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 11 June 2007: 5.
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Abstract
“People are being very good,” SES spokesman Ian Campbell said. “They understand just how serious this emergency has been.”
Eleven NSW Fire Brigade special strike teams concentrating their efforts in Wyong, Woy Woy, Newcastle and the Upper Hunter have been called to more than 1600 incidents in two days.
The Insurance Council of Australia said there had been more than 11,000 compensation claims by yesterday. With the damage bill expected to run into the hundreds of millions, Premier Morris Iemma predicted that in financial terms this could be the state’s worst natural disaster.
Full Text
THE State Emergency Service had by last night attended to only half of the more than 11,000 calls for help since the storms struck on Friday.
The SES pleaded for the public to be patient and not to overload services with unnecessary calls.
“People are being very good,” SES spokesman Ian Campbell said. “They understand just how serious this emergency has been.”
More than 1000 volunteer rural firefighters have been working around the clock on the NSW central coast and Hunter Valley, clearing roads, fallen trees and power lines and rescuing stranded motorists.
Their numbers are expected to double today with the arrival of reinforcements from around the state. Emergency crews from the ACT and Victoria also started arriving last night.
Eleven NSW Fire Brigade special strike teams concentrating their efforts in Wyong, Woy Woy, Newcastle and the Upper Hunter have been called to more than 1600 incidents in two days.
More than 200,000 homes from the Hunter to northern Sydney had their power cut over the weekend. Energy Australia said 75,000 remained without power last night.
Spokesman Geoff Lilliss said the electricity network had never sustained such severe damage across such a widespread area.
Recovery efforts were being hampered by flooding and storm damage. More than 200 electricity workers have been brought from interstate to help.
Thousands of homes have also had their water cut, with malfunctioning pumping stations causing sewage to overflow into stormwater drains.
The Insurance Council of Australia said there had been more than 11,000 compensation claims by yesterday. With the damage bill expected to run into the hundreds of millions, Premier Morris Iemma predicted that in financial terms this could be the state’s worst natural disaster.
Emergency service personnel were trying to evacuate up to 5000 people from central and southern Maitland after predictions the 11m high levee surrounding the town would be over-run by mid-evening. This followed the evacuation of 400 residents from outlying areas on Saturday afternoon and 200 yesterday morning.
Police assisted the SES to doorknock the area, warning residents they should vacate by 8pm as the area was swamped by the worst flood in more 30 years.
Evacuation centres were established in Maitland, Wyong and The Entrance.