Floods hit Council fleet hard slowing response effort

02 April 2017

Community urged to be patient

Council assets have been heavily hit by the floods, making the job of assessing and repairing community infrastructure harder.

Council’s main depot and yard at Buchanan Street, South Murwillumbah, were flooded with all the trucks and plant parked up inundated.

“The damage to our fleet parked up at the depot is almost total, so we are trying to pull vehicles and contract resources in from other areas to assist us get back on the road to assess and repair the damage,” said General Manager Troy Green.

“It will take many days for us to dry out our fleet and save what we can, before we can get back up to full strength.

“Our mechanics and auto electricians will have to strip and repair all vehicles that can be saved, ensuring we don’t do further damage to the computer componentry when we turn them on.

“Our fuel supplies have been contaminated by water and will require ‘polishing’ before it is fit for use. That process will begin tomorrow and may take a couple of days.

“We’ve had great offers of assistance from local earthmoving and engineering contractors who are helping us clear and make safe some of the road damage. A local crane hire company has lent a crane.

“Many, many roads have been affected and at least one bridge, and possibly two, washed away.

“We have asked for assistance from the State Government and extra resources from Public Works to help assess the damage to the South Murwillumbah levee, the Byrrill Creek Bridge and possibly Cedar Creek Bridge.

“Solo Waste Recovery and A1 Skips have provided skips to South Murwillumbah so residents can start the clean-up. More rubbish trucks are coming from Melbourne to join the effort.

“We’ll then get into Uki, Fingal, Chinderah and Tumbulgum with bins as soon as we can.”