https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHRH8j3qufg
Washed Away: The toll of Australia’s flood catastrophe | ABC "Four Corners" program. Video runs for 44:52mins.
"Everything has to change right now"
Professor Elizabeth Mossop
Dean, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture & Building
Climate Media Centre, Media Alert, 6 July 2022, excerpts:
With warnings still in place in parts of NSW, many of those in flood affected areas are starting to assess the damage…….
Emma Heyde, Councillor for C Ward, Hornsby Shire Council said:
“Year-on-year floods, storms and fires is the new and frightening reality for people in Hornsby Shire. Damage to livelihoods and properties from climate chaos like this week’s floods could eventually affect up to a third of all residents.
For us in Hornsby Shire, climate hazards now mean thousands of homes are potentially uninsurable because of floods in winter and fires in summer. Thousands of Hornsby Shire residents have pleaded for action on the climate emergency since 2018.
The Hawkesbury floods are just another example of why it is so urgent that our local politicians not only send thoughts and prayers, but actually act on the root cause of these increasingly frequent disasters: climate heating.”
Mark Greenhill, mayor, Blue Mountains City Council, can speak about his community’s experience in the current major weather event which has included major landslips, road failures and has stranded tourists and campers at Megalong Valley…..
“The climate change-supercharged Black Summer fires, followed by massive rain events, followed by two years of Covid, followed now by two seasons of massive rain events, have seen nearly half a billion dollars’ worth of damage done to our council infrastructure, and a community and a local economy that’s been battered by natural disaster following natural disaster following natural disaster. In our city, strung along a ridgetop for 40km, we are experiencing the extremes of climate change at the front line.”
Gordon Bradbery, Lord Mayor, Wollongong City Council said:
“The present devastating rain event on the east coast of Australia is just another in a series of catastrophes. The reality of the problem is not just climate change but an exhausted planet -- the depletion of and damage to natural systems. We have evolved faster in our expectations and rapacious exploitation of the natural environment - that is exceeding the planet’s ability to cope.
“The east coast of Australia is an example of increasing population density in an increasingly hazardous location. From cyclones to bushfires, droughts to floods, and coastal erosion – we are putting more people into situations of greater risk.
“Local government is expected to manage the implications of international behaviours and practices that are endangering and impacting local communities globally. We can all do our bit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but unless there is an unified International response and a national commitment to dramatic lifestyle changes we are just tinkering at the edges.”
Amanda Lamont, Climate Action and Disaster Resilience Advisor at Zoos Victoria and Co-founder of the Australasian Women in Emergencies Network, can speak about conservation and climate action for wildlife, disaster resilience, emergency management, women in disasters and ways to improve risk.
“Planning for emergencies is important but what happens when our plans run out? Eventually our plans and adaptations are not going to keep up with the disastrous impacts of climate change. The imperative to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has never been more urgent. And we all have a role to play.
“Our precious environment, our communities and the emergency sector are right now bearing the brunt of extreme and overlapping disasters, which will have long-term effects. While we need to focus on supporting communities, we cannot ignore the threat of climate change and disasters on our natural environment, our diverse wildlife and the ecosystems on which we all depend.”
Ian Lowe AO, Environmental Scientist, is an expert in the effects of coastal inundation and climate change for low-lying areas. He can talk generally about the risk of extreme weather events to communities, and what the overall warming trend means for Australia.
“The science has been telling us since the 1980s to expect ‘a more vigorous hydrodynamic cycle’, in other words because it’s warmer there is more evaporation, and because there’s more moisture in the atmosphere (and what goes up must come down!) the obvious increase of rising temperatures is more severe rainfall events. It’s pretty elementary physics.”
Dr Stefanie Pidcock, medical officer at Bega Hospital and member of Doctors for the Environment, can talk about the mental health impacts of extreme weather events on individuals and communities, as well as the additional stress these events put on regional hospitals.
“The health impacts of extreme weather events such as the current flooding in NSW go well beyond the immediate and real dangers of injury and mosquito-borne diseases.
“In Bega, many of my patients are still living with the trauma of their experiences of bushfires months and years later. With extreme weather events increasing in frequency and severity around the country, I'm concerned about the ongoing mental health of our communities.
“I'm also concerned about the increased pressure that events like this put on our regional hospitals, which are already under stress. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and is harming the health and safety of Australians. We need to act now to reduce emissions this decade, while also preparing our hospitals and staff to treat and support communities experiencing extreme weather.”
Dr Michael Ferguson, sole owner of the Wauchope Veterinary Clinic, and a member of Vets for Climate Action, runs a mixed practice in Wauchope NSW where he looks after domestic pets and livestock from nearby farms.
“For those with cattle around Windsor the difficulty is that beef producers have to move their cattle so quickly off flood plains. Logistically that can be quite difficult with road closures and trying to muster up cattle in wet conditions and finding somewhere to take them. This flooding event will have impacts on these producers even after flood waters go back down. I have seen producers in my area that had badly flooded paddocks and then the grasses that came back were not as good - it was too cold so there was a feed shortage and cattle were at risk of starving so producers had to source feed. That’s a lot of financial impact.
“We also see a lot more lameness issues in cattle and horses because their feet are wet - also for cows mastitis goes right up as well.
“Domestically we see the cats stay inside and not want to go to the toilet and get bladder issues after big rain events. They don’t want to go outside to wee and they get blocked up and have to come to the vet clinic.
“The other thing is leptospirosis - a water-borne disease spread from animals’ urine into the water. There had been a few cases around Sydney and Newcastle and with these wet boggy conditions likely to be a lot more. We offer vaccines to pets for this and it’s part of the normal seven-in-one vaccine for cattle. It’s a disease that can pass to humans, it's quite nasty and serious and it’s quite bad for animals as well.”
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On the subject of inappropriate development consent on the West Yamba flood storage area currently at the initial landfill stage:
Never thought I would see storm water replace river flood water as the main problem for us [Anon, on the subject of homes threatened by unmanaged groundwater runoff during heavy rain periods being redirected by presence of landfill in West Yamba, Valley Watch-sponsored community meeting] 9 July 2022]
The best “cause and effect” picture ever taken. #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #ClimateAction #FossilFuels #sydneyflood #SydneyWeather #sydneyrain pic.twitter.com/VHy2g7aScC
— Matt Teske (@mrekset) July 4, 2022
“We are now at 10,000 dead in Australia. The psychic cost of this many of our citizens dying from the pandemic is largely being borne now by their loved ones and those vulnerable to getting the worst of Covid – people at frontline, public-facing services, medical staff and the immunocompromised.
The shock (one of the shocks) at the start of the pandemic was that this great trauma would be shared among us equally – death distributed without care for class or colour.
But now a different reality has settled in; that this great trauma will not be shared. It will be individual and private and discrete. The trauma will not be collective because the names of the dead have not sunk into mass consciousness. The burden of this death will not be shared equally.”
[Senior writer Brigid Delaney, The Guardian, 2 July 2022]
NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NEWS:
NSW storm and flood updates 2022
27 June 2022
Find out how to keep your community safe after flooding; what to do with waste material and hazardous materials; and how to clean a flood-affected property.
If you are impacted by the floods, Service NSW is providing a one-stop shop for people and businesses to access all available recovery services. Call 13 77 88 or visit service.nsw.gov.au to access the following information:
Accommodation advice
Relevant charitable services
Mental health and wellbeing services
Support for businesses
Financial assistance
Insurance and legal support
Replacing lost ID
Building site run-off
If you see run-off from a building site or your property is affected by run-off because of the floods or heavy rainfall, please contact your council to report it. Councils are the environmental regulator for local construction projects. The EPA can help you with major or state significant construction projects and you can report any issues to the EPA’s Environment Line on 131 555.
Waste levy waivers
Fifty-seven local government areas have been subject to natural disaster declarations and to help residents in these communities dispose of their flood-damaged goods and possessions, the NSW Government waste levy has been waived.
Residents can now take flood-affected household items to their local landfill without having to worry about the cost.
Building materials, furniture and any other flood-generated waste is covered by the waiving of the levy, which applies to waste from both public and private land.
Councils will specify on their website which waste facility is taking debris, opening hours and whether there are special requirements for disposing of flood damaged waste.
Waste facilities will need to ensure the waste is flood generated before they can waive the Government’s waste levy. Council waste facility gate fees may still apply.
Council areas where the waste levy has been waived
Ballina Council
Bayside
Bellingen Council
Blacktown
Blue Mountains
Byron Shire Council
Camden
Campbelltown
Canterbury Bankstown
Central Coast
Cessnock City Council
Clarence Valley Council
Coffs Harbour Council
Cumberland City Council
Dungog Shire Council
Fairfield
Georges River
Hawkesbury
Hornsby Council
Inner West
Kempsey Council
Kiama
Ku-Ring-Gai
Kyogle Council
Lismore Council
Liverpool
Maitland City Council
MidCoast
Muswellbrook Shire Council
Nambucca Council
Newcastle
Northern Beaches
Parramatta
Penrith
Port Macquarie / Hastings Council
Richmond Council
Ryde
Shellharbour
Shoalhaven
Singleton Shire Council
Sutherland
The Hills Council
Tweed Council
Upper Hunter Shire Council
Wingecarribee
Wollondilly
Wollongong
Council areas where the waste levy does not apply, but where residents may use a nearby facility in an area where the levy has been waived
Armidale Regional Council
Bega
Eurobodalla
Mid-Western Regional Council
Glen Innes Severn Council
Goulburn Mulwaree Council
Lithgow City Council
Queenbeyan-Palerang Regional Council
Snowy Monaro Regional Council
Tenterfield Council
Community safety
Safety is the number one priority for those in flood impacted areas. Please be alert for instructions from NSW government departments that are responding to the flood and be aware of evacuation orders from the NSW State Emergency Service.
Avoid flood impacted areas and damaged building or structures, unless they are deemed safe by authorities. Be mindful that there may be large submerged debris in flood waters which can be an unseen hazard.
If an immediate response is required, where there is imminent risk to the community or the environment, call Fire and Rescue NSW on Triple Zero (000), including for a HAZMAT response.
When collecting and removing rotting material such as spoiled food or vegetation, always wear a P2 face mask. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling flood-generated waste.
While cleaning up after flooding, be mindful where materials might contain asbestos and take appropriate precautions.
Find out more about asbestos management.
If you encounter material that you suspect may be hazardous please avoid it and call Environment Line on 131 555 or info@epa.nsw.gov.au.
Dealing with waste material when clean-up commences
During clean-up, it is important to protect yourself and to be mindful of the environment around you. If you are in in a Disaster-Declared Area, your local council is your initial point of contact to seek assistance or phone Service NSW on 13 77 88 for information on what assistance is available. Operators will refer you to the appropriate support.
We are working with reginal councils to identify temporary waste storage sites.
If you are not in a Local Government Area covered by the NSW Government’s Immediate Relief Teams, liaise with your council about arrangements for clean-up in your area.
You can start managing your waste by separating it into the following groups:
food waste (use your red lid bin first. If the bin is full put food waste in a container on the kerbside)
hard bulk waste (furniture, carpets, mattresses)
green waste (vegetation)
scrap metal (whitegoods and e-waste)
hazardous materials (gas bottles, paint, pool chemicals, unlabelled drums)
Separating waste into the different waste types means we will be able to send the right waste to the right place and save valuable landfill space.
The NSW Government waste levy is being waived for the 17 local government areas that have been subject to natural disaster declarations.
Building materials, furniture and any other flood-generated waste are included in the levy waiver and this applies to waste from both public and private land.
Find out about water safety around flood waters and how to deal with flood mud, household and hazardous chemicals and asbestos if you have been impacted by storms or floods
Cleaning your flood affected property
Every area affected by flood water inside your house needs to be cleaned, including empty refrigerators and cupboards.
Wash mud, dirt, and debris from your house with a hose, starting at the highest point and working down to ground level.
Where possible, remove all wet items such as floor coverings, rugs, mats, furniture, bedding, linen and clothing. If floor coverings are removed, thoroughly clean and dry the floor underneath before new material is laid.
Begin drying out the house as soon as floodwaters recede – open doors and windows during dry days, use fans where possible, check for trapped water and mud in wall or floor cavities.
Hard-surface floors, walls, benches and sinks should be thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water and disinfected by wiping or spraying surfaces with a chlorine bleach solution or a product labelled as a disinfectant. Once disinfected, allow to dry.
Flood-affected mattresses are difficult to treat and may need to be discarded.
Furniture, such as lounge chairs, may be air dried in the sun then sprayed thoroughly with a disinfectant solution. Consult a local furniture renovating company if you are unsure about their condition.
Soft toys should be discarded. Solid toys should be washed and then disinfected.
According to NSW Health, as at 4pm on 5 July 2022 there were 124,706 confirmed active COVID-19 cases in the state, including 13,775 newly confirmed COVID-19 infections.
Within the newly infected group were 338 individuals from across the 7 local government areas in Northern NSW.
A total of 1,822 infected people were currently hospitalised, with 64 of these COVID-19 inpatients in intensive care of which number 16 individuals required ventilation.
Sadly there were 20 confirmed COVID-19 deaths within that 24 hour reporting period.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 July 2022:
NSW is facing a coronavirus wave tipped to rival the Omicron summer as the state government and health bodies push for better access to antiviral treatments and expanded eligibility for fourth doses.
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the NSW COVID-19 wave was expected to peak in late July or early August with hospitalisations similar to those in January. She urged the third of people who have not yet had a booster shot to do so urgently.
“Disregard anything we’ve said about two doses. It’s three doses or more,” Chant said.
A national surge in coronavirus cases is being driven by the newer BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants, which better evade immunity from previous infection and vaccination.
Throughout June, about 30 per cent of virus deaths – three-quarters of whom were in their 80s and 90s – were not up-to-date with their shots.
But with fourth doses currently restricted to people over 65 or those with certain health conditions, Chant said she would support national vaccine advisory group ATAGI expanding eligibility when it meets on Wednesday……
Representative bodies for healthcare workers, including the Australian Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, have expressed concern about waning immunity as infections rise. While a single booster shot is considered to still provide significant protection against severe illness and death, most doctors, nurses and pharmacists are now well over six months since their third dose.
In addition to expanding fourth doses, Chant and Hazzard both said they would support clearer eligibility criteria for oral antiviral COVID-19 treatments Paxlovid and Lagevrio.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has directed the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee to review its conditions for subsidised access, labelling them “too restrictive”.
Antivirals are currently available for people aged 65 and over with two high-risk factors; those aged 75 and over with one high-risk factor; or moderately to severely immunocompromised people. People in these age groups may be recommended a particular antiviral, due to interactions with other medications…..
With 1782 people with COVID-19 in hospital on Tuesday, Chant said she had not recommended further public health restrictions. Instead, she encouraged the public to wear masks and take steps to reduce their risk of catching winter viruses including flu……
Full article can be read here.
