Tasmanian flood bill could top $10m as cleanup begins
THE damage bill to homes and businesses across Southern Tasmania is likely to top more than $10 million, the chief executive of insurer RACT Trent Sayers says.
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THE damage bill to homes and businesses across Southern Tasmania is likely to top more than $10 million, the chief executive of insurer RACT Trent Sayers says.
Mr Sayers said crews were taking advantage of today’s calm weather conditions to begin the cleanup in earnest after the storm and flash flooding that caused widespread damage late Thursday night and early yesterday morning.
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He said RACT, which covers close to 30 per cent of the home insurance market in Tasmania, had received 500 claims and the company was expecting its total amount to reach $2 million.
“It’s definitely going to be a multimillion-dollar event from a domestic perspective,” Mr Sayers said.
“The other angle to that, particularly given some of the damage in the CBD, is the commercial losses as well. If I was to make a very rough estimate at this very early stage it’s got to be somewhere in the vicinity of a $10 million loss I would think.”
Mr Sayers said a handful of RACT customers had to be accommodated in hotels and motels last night, but most were able to return home today, with crews working overtime to secure roofs and ensure homes were safe.
He said Kingborough was the worst hit region, particularly Blackmans Bay and Kingston, followed by Greater Hobart, particularly Sandy Bay, pockets of South Hobart and North Hobart, and to a lesser extent Clarence.
Mr Sayers estimated 20 per cent of damaged homes would have been uninsured.
State Emergency Service assistant director of operations and resources Leon Smith said
SES crews had completed all requests for help as a result of the extreme weather.
He said the response had shifted from an emergency to recovery phase, with crews from the SES and Tasmania Fire Service now doing assessment work and capturing imagery to show the impact of the major flood event.
“The public needs to be aware that the SES and TFS will have a prominent presence
within the community over this weekend while undertaking these activities on foot and in
vehicles within impacted areas. A remote piloted aircraft is also being used over
Hobart’s CBD to gather intelligence in relation to the impact of this significant event.
“We understand that people are still feeling the effects of the severe weather event, and
recognise that the recovery will take some time.
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“Although there are no current warnings at this time, people still need to keep abreast of
the latest advice from authorities in relation to the recovery effort.”
He said the Tasmanian Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Department (DPIPWE) was providing specialist emergency response staff to help with mapping and quantifying the damage.
Tasmania Police has asked motorists to drive with care on Waterworks Road, Dynnyrne. The road is open but there is some debris on the road.
A number of roads remain closed across Southern Tasmania due to flooding, including Albert Rd at Moonah from Bowen Rd to Risdon Rd and also Risdon Rd between the Brooker Highway and Bell St in New Town.
Other partial closures are affecting Blowhole Road at Blackmans Bay, Brockley Road at Buckland, Collins Cap and Collinsvale roads at Collinsvale, the Esplanade at Seven Mile Beach, Hanson and Timbs roads at Lachlan, Huon Road at Neika (between Wolfes Rd and Leslie Rd), Molesworth Rd at Malbina, Rheban Rd at Rheban (from the start of the gravel section through to Wielangta Rd) and Shrub End Rd at Pawleena.
In the Huon region, Glen Rd at Ranelagh between Louisa Street and North Glen Road will be closed for several weeks due to extensive damage.
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