Urgent calls for state of disaster after ‘inland tsunami’ slams regional Victoria

Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes has blasted “misinformation” over calls for a natural disaster declaration after nightmare storms left a trail of destruction and four people dead in regional Victoria.

A scene of destruction in Buchan on Boxing Day. Picture: (X) Twitter/9News

The Allan government has dismissed calls for authorities to urgently declare swathes of regional Victoria natural disaster zones after horrific Christmas storms lashed country communities, leaving a trail of destruction and four people dead.

Farmers, shop owners and residents across regional Victoria’s tourism hotspots are facing millions of dollars in damages after flash flooding described as an “inland tsunami” destroyed homes, businesses and livelihoods.

The nightmare weather event has left four families in mourning.

Two bodies were discovered in floodwaters in East Gippsland, while a 44-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on him at his Caringal home.

A fourth person, a young boy, was killed after being struck by a large tree branch near Shepparton following wild storms.

Gippsland MP Darren Chester says Buchan Caves reserve will be closed for the ‘foreseeable future’. Picture: Tom Crook

Victorian Nationals Leader Peter Walsh on Thursday called for the Allan government to declare parts of central Victoria natural disaster areas after touring areas near Wedderburn and Korong Vale, which were some of the hardest hit on Christmas.

“It must be classified as a natural disaster area so farmers can qualify for the Victorian primacy producer recovery grant,” Mr Walsh said.

“Smaller land holders should also qualify for a Victorian rural land holder’s grant given the enormity of the localised rain event.”

He said local farmers Amber and Peter Gibson and John Tonkin, from multi-generational farming families, said the flooding was “the worst they have seen since 1974”.

Some farmers say it was the worst flooding they have seen since 1974. Picture: Facebook

Farmers, shop owners and residents across regional Victoria’s tourism hotspots are facing millions of dollars in damages. Picture: (X) Twitter/9News

But Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes, who gave an update on the situation in Victoria’s flood ravaged regions on Friday, said she was “sick and tired” of the Nationals “misinformation”.

“I find it quite concerning that nearly every emergency you have the National Party call for the government to make a declaration which, frankly, they understand is misleading information,” she said.

“It is not a requirement for me as Minister for Emergency Services or indeed the Premier to declare a state of emergency in order for federal and state government funds to flow.”

Ms Symes said there was a “well informed path” between governments and local councils to activate financial assistance.

The nightmare weather event has left four families in mourning. Picture: Facebook

Landslides after the flash flooding in Buchan. Picture: Facebook

In East Gippsland, where the bodies of two campers were discovered at a Buchan campground after Christmas and Boxing Day flash flooding, Mayor Tom Crook said the flooding had left an “absolute scene of devastation”.

“I have never seen anything like it in such a localised area … it’s just such a tragic event for the local community,” he said.

“Vic Parks staff saved so many lives. They were grabbing people and making them hold the railings on the fences and bridges.”

In East Gippsland the damage was described as an ‘absolute scene of devastation’. Picture: (X) Twitter/9News

Cr Crook said 100mm of rain struck in less than an hour, demolishing infrastructure that had stood for 100 years and lodging cars in trees.

“The whole area was chest height in water. It wasn’t a slow motion disaster, it happened very quickly and without warning,” he said.

He said while the community was “resilient”, noting the devastating 2020 bushfires, locals

“desperately need state government intervention and assistance.”

Flooding around Wedderburn on Christmas Day. Picture: Facebook

Flooding around Wedderburn on Christmas Day 2023. Source: Facebook

Gippsland MP Darren Chester said Buchan Caves reserve would be closed for the “foreseeable future” but pleaded with Victorians to “keep visiting our beautiful region” as the area recovers.

“The scenes are more like an inland tsunami with significant losses of private property and damage to Parks Victoria infrastructure,” he wrote on social media.

“Our full-time and volunteer emergency service crews across Gippsland have had a tough few days.”

Ms Symes urged Victorians travelling around the state to familiarise themselves with their holiday destinations and to download the Vic Emergency app.

“In many instances, those tragedies are avoidable. If you pay attention to your surroundings and take the advice and make the appropriate changes,” she said.