Worst Floods and NO Government assistance

arthur

Not been online for a while do to the second 'Worst Flood in Living Memory' in 6 weeks. You may have noticed the reports from Coffs Harbour and Bellingen.

Last time we had 496mm in 14hrs and up river they had 650mm. A lot of farmers and local small holdings lost stock, fences and internal bridges. Just when everything is getting back to normal and wam 750mm in 18hrs (over a meter for the week) upriver over 800mm. Add this damage to the wind damage and we have been without power for a week and wont have phones on for 8 to 12 weeks. No poles to hang the wires from. Mobil phones only for a while.

The local roads where opened by the local residents. Trees every 50m or so. During 3 days of clearing the roads before the bridges could be opened we only came across one council worker and he was taking pictures of the damage.

I have to give Telstra and County Energy their dues as they all worked extended hours in some really bad weather to get us all back up and running.

However, NSW Government assistance for farmers and small business is a low interest mortgage to a max $130,000. If like most small business you are already up to the neck in mortgage you can forget it. No help paying employees who cannot come to work because of the broken bridges and flooding. No help even when those emplyees can get to work and you have no power to work with.

Those on casual hourly pay work NIL hours for the week so get NIL pay. NO help for them either.

NO help for farmers who have lost stock. We lost most of our rare breed chickens. A farmer up the road lost 70 head and his prize bull.

We pulled a bobcat out of the mud for a local so the insurance assessor could look at the damage and the owner was told NO payout as he should not have left it there during bad weather. As usual the government leaves it to the insurance companies and the insurance companies will do anything they can to squirm out of paying. NO HELP AGAIN.

All this and the PM is telling everyone we are again a Disaster area (twice in 6 weeks) and that the government will be helping but speak with the agencies who payout and find the real truth.

And the Federal Government has been noticed by its TOTAL lack of doing anything.

sorry for the rant

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Therrin

That really sucks that you guys got hit so hard.

I'm still trying to figure out why everyone in the city of New Orleans blamed the government for what happened to them.

I would *assume* that if you lived on the coast, 30 feet BELOW the water line, that you take those inherent risks upon yourself...knowing that you've put yourself in a potentially dangerous position. Then when the (of course, inevitable!) happens, they want the government to save them from their poor choices! I don't get it. I'd think that if I had done the same thing I'd be looking at myself going "dummy....you knew it could happen and you stayed there anyway, really smart one there"

Emergency services tell people all over the radio and tv "you need to evacuate. Evacuation is mandatory, go now!"
And there's all those folks sayin "screw it, I'm not goin anywhere, I'ts my house and I'm staying"
Then the storm hits...
Hours later they're all on their rooftops screaming "SAVE ME!!!! Why wont you save me?? Why arent you here NOW with your helicopters saving me?"

It just doesnt add up.
Okay, I'm done ranting too now, thx =)

Eric Frei

Weekend just passed we copped 200mm here, nothing like you guys however Sunshine Coast copped 300mm to 500mm.

On Saturday I went for a drive to Somerset Dam as they pulled 2 plugs on it.

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Therrin

Nice pictures Ekka.

Eric Frei

Cedar Creek Falls Mt Tamborine today


Cedar Creek Gorge Mt Tamborine


Curtis Falls Mt Tamborine today

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