Following the recent extreme weather event in Southern Tasmania on May 10 -11, 2018 damage occurred across the municipality of Clarence.
This included damage to private and public buildings and spaces, including dwellings, outbuildings, parks, tracks and roadways.
The most severely affected areas in Clarence appear to be those south of Lauderdale, including Sandford, South Arm and Opossum Bay districts. There were also more isolated incidents right across the municipality.
There are shack owners in some of these areas as well as permanent residents and Council expects there may still be some home owners unaware of damage. All property owners are encouraged to contact their insurance companies for assistance and guidance on how best to undertake repairs.
Since the storm Clarence City Council staff have been focusing on the clean-up effort. Initially, clearing table drains, pits and culverts and restoring the capacity of the existing stormwater system are priorities.
This extreme rainfall event has identified some areas of our storm water systems which will require more detailed investigation and may require significant capital works to address. These tasks will take time to investigate and prioritise and Council will need to approve funding allocations over the longer term before some works can be commenced.
Insurance
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) declared a Catastrophe for inundation and storm damage from May 10-11 to property and vehicles in Greater Hobart, Tasmania. This declaration means claims from affected policy holders will be given priority by insurers. Claims will also be prioritised to direct urgent assistance to the worst-affected property owners.
Property owners who have suffered flood or storm damage are encouraged to contact their insurer as soon as possible. The ICA insurance hotline for this disaster is 1800 734 621.
Insurance Claim Forums
The Insurance Council of Australia will host two insurance claims guidance forums in southern Tasmania. The free forums are for insured householders and business owners who have lodged claims for damage caused by the May 10 -11, 2018, extreme weather event.
The forums will focus on the claims management process for policy holders. Members of the ICA disaster recovery team and insurance company representatives will attend both forums.
Forums will be held on:
- Wednesday June 13, 7pm, in Kingston.
- Thursday June 14, 7pm in Hobart.
Registration by noon Wednesday June 13, 2018 is essential. To register, and receive venue details, go to www.disasters.org.au/forums or call 1800 734 621.
Government Financial Assistance for Communities
The Tasmanian and Australian Governments are now providing financial assistance for eligible individuals and families affected by the extreme weather and flooding.
The assistance is through the jointly-funded Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). The grants will be available for three months and assessors from the Tasmanian Government are available to guide applicants through the process.
Grants are means tested and available for temporary living expenses, essential household items and repair, restoration and clean-up for low-income individuals and families affected by the severe weather event.
Three types of recovery and restoration grants are available:
- Temporary Living Expenses Grant – to help people meet the cost of additional temporary living expenses;
- Essential Household Items Grant – to assist with the replacement of essential household items; and
- Repair, Restoration and Clean Up Grant – to assist with the re-establishment of homes to a basic minimum standard
The grants are available in the municipalities of Clarence, Derwent Valley, Glenorchy, Hobart, Huon Valley and Kingborough. The grants are not a replacement for insurance or compensation for losses.
For more information contact Housing Tasmania on 1300 665 663 (Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm).
Further information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website and the TasALERT website at www.tasalert.com
Related information
The Southern Tasmanian Extreme Weather Event, Interim Recovery Plan, May 2018 can be found here.
Electrical Safety
Houses affected by flooding (including out buildings) may have affected or damaged electrical wiring. Circuit breakers could have been turned off, tripped or rewirable fuses may have blown. A qualified electrician should be engaged to confirm that it is safe to energise, or re-energise, the property.
Don’t plug in or use appliances that have been in the floodwater until they’ve been checked by a licensed electrician. If you’re unsure if equipment has been damaged, please have it inspected before you plug it in.
For more information visit the TasNetworks website.
Request for images and videos
For some areas of Clarence this was an extreme rainfall event and to document it we are asking community members to share with us their images and videos of the storm and floods.
If you have any photos or videos of the flood, especially of flood peaks, damage and debris left behind by the floods, please email them to us at Clarence@ccc.tas.gov.au marked ‘stormwater research’ in the subject line. Please identify, as precisely as possible, where the photo or video was taken.
This documentation will help us to be as best prepared as possible in the case of any similar events occurring in the future.
Information for Businesses
If your business was affected by the extreme weather event, the Tasmanian Government would like to know the impact and damage caused to your business.
This information collected will help inform government and recovery services.
Contact Business Tasmania on 1800 440 026, go to https://www.business.tas.gov.au/ or email ask@business.tas.gov.au
Dealing with a traumatic event
It is common to be impacted after experiencing a catastrophic event such as storm or flood, and everyone will respond differently.
Trauma can affect how you feel and think, and your physical wellbeing.
After a traumatic event it can be helpful to:
- Understand that it’s normal to have strong reactions to a traumatic event. Give yourself, or people you care for, some time to recover.
- Express how you feel by talking to someone, writing about it or finding a creative outlet to share your reactions.
- Try to maintain your normal routine.
- Look after yourself physically; maintain a healthy diet, get regular exercise and ensure you have enough sleep.
- Talk to your family and friends about what help you need.
For more information visit the Beyondblue website or call 1300 22 46 36.