G'day all,
For anyone that knows the north coast the situation is this - Lismore, Mullum, Coraki, Broadwater, Woodburn, Ballina, Wardell, Tumbulgum, Ocean Shores, South Golden, Uki, Casino the list goes on. All either totally or partly devastated. Many, many houses and livelihoods lost, not to mention crops. The first days of the flood were nightmarish but help has finally arrived now with govt services etc. It was the community and nobody else that rescued people from houses and roofs in the middle of the night and saved so many lives. When I see the politicians thanking the ADF it makes me sick. Nobody blames the ADF but they were simply not here on the ground due to the speed and size of the disaster so when they stand up there falling over themselves thanking them thats what makes people angry. The community themselves stood up like I have never seen before.
Main arm, Mullum, areas of Nimbin etc are still cut off due to the sheer number of land slides and it takes time to clear the roads and get structural engineers to check bridges etc. The army choppers have been dropping food and medicine to the people. The flood was way over the 1 in a hundred year level and the BOM told residents the river would rise to 12m but it went over 14m so even people who thought they were out of the flood zone were impacted. Everyone prepared for it but it was beyond what anyone has ever seen.
There is a lot of trauma and it is hard to comprehend the stench and scale of the disaster without seeing it first hand. It is easy to say dont live in a flood plain but for many people there is no choice. The main issue I see moving forward is going to be housing. I really have no idea where all these people are going to live. Staying with strangers is not a long term solution so what the solution to that will be I have no idea. Everyone is tired and this is only the beginning of the recovery.