MASSIVE rainfall over the last few weeks has led to widespread flooding across the Mid North Coast, with Taree, Port Macquarie and Kempsey among the hardest hit.
The last time such an event occurred, in 2021, official and media sources branded it “once in a hundred years”, however now even worse has occurred only four years later.
According to the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Manning River has flooded at a level never seen before at Taree, surpassing the 1929 record of six metres.
The storm front approached from the north-east and appeared to hover in place over the Mid North Coast area for two days, Monday and Tuesday 19-20 May, raising the record flood waters rising as the rains continued through to Friday 23 May.
Along the Myall Coast region, rainfall pounded away for three days straight, causing widespread flash flooding across the solitary access roads in and out of several townships, including Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest, North Arm Cove, Pindimar/Bundabah, Bulahdelah, and washing away segments of the Branch Lane.
By the weekend, there was a reprieve from the rain, as the clouds ceded to clear blue skies, allowing residents to get outside and survey the damage.
Realising that the need for recovery was much greater elsewhere, residents of the Myall Coast have started a spontaneous appeal for clothes, blankets and other warm items to support communities to the north who have lost everything.
“Please help our Taree neighbours, just up the road,” said Anne Stuart, President of the Galleries in the Gardens (GiG) in Tea Gardens.
“GiG is rallying to donate items – good condition bedding, blankets, linen, towels, warm clothing, shoes, gumboots, etc., which we will hold until we know the best way to get it all to the people who need it.”
This situation echoes a similar initiative appeal back in 2005, replicated once again 20 years later.
The NSW Government has partnered with Givit.org.au to handle donations to flood victims, which focuses on handling digital donations of vouchers and purchases in aid of flood victims.
MidCoast Council chambers in Taree was taken over as the Emergency Operations Centre, and is not an appropriate destination for physical donations, nor should physical donations be taken to SES buildings.
“In the wake of natural disasters, people from all around our state want to lend a hand, but we want to make sure support is reaching those who need it most and not getting in the way of the recovery effort,” said Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin.
“Please do not send or drop off donations in disaster affected areas; we appreciate that people want to help, but often it just gets in the way.”
By Thomas O’KEEFE
