Flooding response update: 18 homes destroyed according to latest damage assessment
The latest damage assessment in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper and its unprecedented flooding has revealed that 18 homes have been completely destroyed with another 168 severely damaged as the recovery and clean up goes on.
Cairns
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The latest damage assessment in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper and its unprecedented flooding has revealed 18 homes have been completely destroyed, with another 168 severely damaged as the recovery and clean up goes on.
Minister for Fire and Disaster Recovery Nikki Boyd detailed the latest damage assessment at a press conference in Cairns after travelling around the Far North to see the devastation herself on Boxing Day.
“I spent Boxing Day on the ground in Douglas (Shire) with the local mayor and saw how the floods have impacted locals in places like Wonga Beach and Mossman,” Ms Boyd said.
“In terms of the damage assessments that are just a result of the flood event, that work wrapped up on Sunday.
“We have 4035 of those completed, we have identified 18 homes that are totally destroyed, we have 168 properties severely damaged, 638 moderate, 832 minor and no damage at 2292 properties.”
Member for Cairns and Tourism and Sport Minister Michael Healy said the region had experienced unprecedented challenges.
“It has had a significant detrimental effect to our community here in Cairns and all the way up to Wujal Wujal and to the Western Cape.
“We have seen a lot of damage and a lot of hurt, and there is still a lot of work and a lot of infrastructure that needs to be redone.”
Mr Healy said work was still underway to restore power and access to communities isolated by flooding and landslides.
“From what I understand power is on around Cairns but to the north there are still some challenges in Mossman and around Wujal Wujal and other areas,” he said.
“There are still communities struggling with isolation which highlights the challenges whereas down in Cairns and the surrounds people are well and truly into the recovery putting furniture out onto driveways and beginning the clean-up, in Wujal Wujal and other places where people have been evacuated, there is still a lot of other activities taking place to help the recovery move quicker.”
Ms Boyd said the Queensland government was focused on connecting those communities and clearing roads but there was significant damage across major roads north of Cairns including the Captain Cook Highway.
“We have dropped generators to the residents who have stayed in Degarra, we are working hard to open the road access open from Cooktown through to Wujal Wujal and we will be working on an extensive clean out throughout that community,” she said.
“In terms of the Captain Cook Highway, TMR has assessed that it as one of the most damaged roads in the region we are anticipating given the topography of that space, given the amount of blockages and slips, we anticipate that opening that road will take quite some time.”
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Originally published as Flooding response update: 18 homes destroyed according to latest damage assessment
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