MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is offering a helping hand to residents affected two weeks ago by flooding, landslides and storms.
The mayor Cr Steve Holland said the Monday 14 November storms had led to “significant flood damage and distress” with 270 calls for help being to the SES “many of whose homes were inundated”.
Holland said roads had been closed and residents evacuated because of landslips.
“The safety of our community is always our first priority, and we are working hard to assist those in need, assess damage and begin repairs and recovery,” he said in a statement last Thursday (24 November).
“So far we have contacted more than 190 of these affected residents with 28 referrals to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing for personal hardship payments and several others referred to other agencies.”
Holland said private properties were being inspected by specialists assessing structural damage and potential health issues such as mould, contaminated water and septic or grey water issues.
“We have arranged temporary accommodation for some of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged residents as well as engaging our maternal and child health team, youth services and disability services to provide additional wrap around support for our priority population groups that have been impacted,” he said.
He said the shire had a dedicated phone line for residents impacted by the rain event as well as a flood recovery page on its website.
Holland said “significant damage and disruption to shire buildings, services and places” included coastal erosion which meant beach car parks and paths were closed, damage to kindergartens, community centres and the Balcombe Estuary boardwalk at Mount Martha.
Up to last Thursday the shire had repaired 1985 square metres of unsealed roads; cleaned and cleared 3251 meters of drainage pipes; cleaned 132 storm water pits; replaced or reset 50 storm water pit lids; and made five sinkholes safe.
“We have an excellent cleaning and maintenance program for the part of the drainage system that is managed by the shire,” Holland said. “We regularly sweep streets to reduce blockages and inspect and clean pits and pipes where needed.
“In October – in response to then forecast high rainfall – we proactively visited properties we know are prone to flooding and checked all the pits and pipes were in good shape.”
Information about impacted shire services and infrastructure is at mornpen.vic.gov.au/floods and problems with anything managed by the shire can be reported at mornpen.vic.gov.au/report-it
Requests for drainage maintenance can be made at mornpen.vic.gov.au/drainage
For help during severe weather events call the SES on 132 500
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 29 November 2022
