By Peter Douglas
AS the response to the Sunday 9 October storm in the Yarra Ranges continues, the magnitude of the impact is starting to unfold.
Both Yarra Ranges Shire and AusNet Services have described it as one of the worst natural disaster events in recent years.
Yarra Ranges Shire chief executive officer, Glenn Patterson, has described the impact as “the largest emergency event our region has experienced since Black Saturday”; while AusNet Services managing director Nino Ficca has said it was the region’s “worst storm event in eight years”.
Both organisations have admitted that providing a response has been a challenge.
Mr Patterson said the shire expected a long road ahead.
“Since the storm, we are aware of 127 properties with damage,” he said.
“Of those, 27 are uninhabitable, and families are currently being supported with temporary accommodation.
“Council’s arborists have been working around the clock, responding to more than 600 tree requests.
“The clean-up ahead is a mammoth job that may months to complete.”
According to the shire, power outages affected more than 13,800 homes, while they have received more than 600 tree requests since the storm.
These requests include inspections of dangerous trees, fallen trees over roads, and trees that have fallen onto buildings.
Yara Ranges Shire is hoping the clean-ups will be completed before Christmas, in time for the coming fire season.
“Yarra Ranges Council is leading the recovery phase of this emergency, working with Red Cross, DHHS and other agencies to co-ordinate assistance for impacted community members,” he said.
Meanwhile, AusNet Services have said the storm resulted in more than 1700 individual faults and the cutting of supply to more than 65,000 customers from Kinglake to Berwick.
Mr Ficca said AusNet had worked around the clock to restore power, with 300 field crews hitting the region to help out.
Many members of these crews were living away from home during this period.
Though, Mr Ficca this week issued an advertised apology to community members.
“Severe storms are a natural event, and we did all we could to restore supplies as quickly as possible,” he said.
“On behalf of all my colleagues at AusNet Services, I’d also like to express our thanks for your patience and understanding as we restored the power.”
In the wake of the devastation, Minister for Justice Michael Keenan and Victorian Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino on Sunday 16 October announced the activation of additional disaster assistance for Victorians affected by storms in the Yarra Ranges Council area.
Minister Keenan said assistance was being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State ‘Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangement’ (NDRRA).
Mr Merlino said that emergency reestablishment grants were now being made available to eligible households, in addition to the emergency relief assistance payments which are available to all storm-affected communities.
“These grants provide assistance to people whose homes have been damaged so that they can clean-up their properties and replace damaged contents,” Mr Merlino said.
Anyone who has been affected by storms and is suffering personal hardship and distress should call the Victorian Emergency Recovery Information Line on 1300 799 232.
Informaiton about the assistance can also be found on the Vic Emergency website at www.emergency.vic.gov.au/relief or on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterasist.gov.au.
Also, a series of ‘frequently asked questions’ have been developed and are available on Yarra Ranges Council’s website www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au, as well as in print through the shire’s Community Links.
This included information relating to property, including advice on septic systems and building damage, and personal assistance including grants and counselling.
