Batreach Kuranda repairs damage following ex-tropical Cyclone Jasper
A Kuranda wildlife sanctuary has had a touch of ‘cyclone remodelling’ after a fallen tree branch punched a hole through the kitchen roof during ex-tropical Cyclone Jasper.
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A Kuranda wildlife sanctuary has had a touch of ‘cyclone remodelling’ after a fallen tree branch punched a hole through the kitchen roof during ex-tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Batreach Kuranda manager Pam Tully said the branch came through the kitchen causing flooding in the room, but the animals, including 13 gliders, two possums and 32 flying foxes, were safe in other rooms when it hit.
“The wildlife are all safe and dry. We had an injured animal that came in who passed away. It’s very hard at the moment, because we’ve lost the kitchen fridges as water poured in on them,” Ms Tully said.
“There’s a lot of water on the floor, so we’re walking through water there, but the animals are dry in the bedroom and office area. We brought in the ones we were most concerned about and kept the rest in secure aviaries outside and under the house.”
Ms Tully said her and a few volunteers had been using a generator to keep power on, but had trouble getting it to start at first.
“We’ve got a generator, but it wasn’t running all the fridges. We have a fruit fridge, medication fridge and personal fridge for our food and we had to throw all of the food out,” she said.
“It’s working better now and I can walk to the IGA from where I am and get food from there,” she said.
Ms Tully said the SES had been called in to remove the branch and patch up the hole in the roof, with a handful of her volunteers helping out.
“We had a fruit delivery yesterday which was really good. I don’t know what we would’ve done without it. We haven’t got the usual amount of volunteers because not everyone can get through,” she said.
For those who wanted to help, Ms Tully said they were most in need of fruit, boxes and blankets.
“Those things would be appreciated only if they can be spared. It’s a bit hard to get around at the moment with the Barron River flooding over, so it’s difficult for anybody to do anything.”
Ex-tropical Cyclone Jasper made landfall at Wujal Wujal on Wednesday afternoon as a category 2 system.
As of Saturday afternoon, some roads and highways remain blocked by floodwaters, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting another 300mm of rain over the weekend.
The Department of Environment and Science has warned Far North residents not to swim or wade in floodwaters as snakes and crocodiles could be underneath.
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Originally published as Batreach Kuranda repairs damage following ex-tropical Cyclone Jasper
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