Central Coast disaster declared by state with council set to debate The Entrance Channel plans
The State Government has declared the Central Coast a ‘natural disaster’ with scores of streets still underwater. Meanwhile the council is under attack with calls for urgent action on the Tuggerah Lakes.
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A state of natural disaster has been declared for the Central Coast.
Central Coast Parliamentary Secretary Adam Crouch has announced the declaration as a result of the recent storms and flooding across the region.
“Entire streets currently look like watery war zones, there are approximately 38,000 people still without power and many trees are blocking roads across the region,” Mr Crouch said.
“I have been in constant contact with the Premier and Minister for Emergency Services to ensure a natural disaster declaration could be made as quickly as possible.
“This means assistance is available for people whose homes or belongings have been damaged and for council to clean up public assets.”
It comes as amazing drone photography and video footage, by Klayte McSweeny, of Tuggerah Lakes at The Entrance has been shared across social media.
The vision shows the extent of the flooding and the two passageways which are now releasing water from Tuggerah Lakes into the ocean.
CALL FOR ACTION
Social media has exploded over the past few days, with residents blaming Central Coast Council for the extent of the flooding due to inaction over the silted up channel at The Entrance.
The council opened a second passage to the ocean to the north of existing channel yesterday to help reduce rising flood waters.
It came after Chittaway Bay resident Ben Weber took his excavator onto the sand to dig a second channel during Sunday’s torrential rain. He dug for three hours before police and council rangers ordered him off the beach.
The issue is set to be debated at the council meeting tonight in Gosford, with tensions expected to flare.
Councillors Bruce McLachlan, Jilly Pilon and Greg Best are urging council to start break wall designs and allocate funds to a 2020 channel dredging program.
Cr Pilon said it was “just devastating seeing the damage for homeowners around the Tuggerah Lakes and for businesses such as The Entrance Boat Shed”.
“For many residents this is all too late,” she said.
“Over the weekend we saw community members desperately trying to save their homes and taking it upon themselves to open the channel. A situation they should never have been put in.
“Let’s be very clear, The Entrance channel is a local waterway and council’s responsibility.
Over the weekend we saw first hand how decisions in council have failed our community with properties and businesses being inundated.”
Mayor Lisa Matthews issued a statement calling for the Premier to visit the coast, stating The Entrance Channel issue must be resolved.
“We need to understand the impact of the recently built groyne and what impact, if any it had on flooding and the State Government should tell us that. They built it,” she said.
“We also need to understand their commitment to also work with us to find a long-term solution to water flow in The Entrance Channel.”
Central Coast MLC Taylor Martin said hundreds of homes around Tuggerah Lake had been directly impacted by floodwater.
“Central Coast Council has been inert in managing Tuggerah Lakes,” Mr Martin said.
“Community anger has reached boiling point over council’s lack of action in properly managing Tuggerah Lake. Waiting until after the lake has flooded to bring in the excavators is unacceptable.”
Mr Crouch encouraged flood-affected residents and business owners to contact the Disaster Welfare Assistance Line on 1800 018 444.