EVACUATION centres across the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast are closing as the NSW SES lifts evacuation orders, weather warnings reduce and people return to their homes.
Currently, five centres remain open at Kingscliff, Murwillumbah, Coraki, Ocean Shores and Lismore and will be progressively closed as the need reduces.
In response to the threat of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, NSW Government agencies including Homes NSW, SES and Police as well as local non-government organisations stood up total of 25 Evacuation Centres across the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast.
In total:
- Over 1,530 people registered for assistance at evacuation centres across North-East NSW and the Mid North Coast
- More than 430 community members were supported with emergency accommodation in hotels and motels.
Evacuation Centres are used as part of an emergency response in a natural disaster. The centres have been supported by more than 130 Department of Communities and Justice and Education staff as well as local NGO partners and volunteers.
For people unable to return home due to flooding or severe storm damage, Homes NSW will work with local services to provide interim temporary accommodation options.
For those that are homeless or at immediate risk of homelessness, please contact your nearest DCJ Housing Office or contact Link2home (available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, every day of the year): 1800 152 152.
The NSW Government acknowledges the housing crisis in the Northern Rivers and across New South Wales. The Minns Labor Government has created the record $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW program which will deliver 30,000 homes across the state, in both metropolitan and regional communities.
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:
“I’m proud of the incredible effort of all volunteers and frontline staff across 25 evacuation centres set up in response to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
“As SES evacuation orders are lifted, people are returning to their homes and evacuation centre staff are going back to their day jobs in vital areas such as housing, child protection, and education.
“As we begin vital recovery work, the NSW Government is ready to support the community to get back to normal.”
Minister for Housing, Homelessness and the North Coast Rose Jackson said:
“Communities across the North Coast are still doing it tough in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, we want to thank them for their patience, support and efforts during this challenging period.
“Evacuation centres were quickly established to provide safe and secure shelter from those displaced by the threat of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, and we thank the staff who showed up.
“As conditions ease, we have been progressively decommissioning these centres and returning them to their original purpose.”
NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:
“Over the past week we saw evacuation centres rapidly stood up at Lismore’s Southern Cross University, schools, RSLs, TAFEs and sports clubs to provide a temporary solution for people evacuating floods.
“I want to thank our public servants and volunteers, a mix of locals and good folk from further afield, who worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe and dry.”
CLOSE CALL: A file photo of Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery Senator Tony Sheldon, NSW Premier Chris Minns, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin and NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib watching a rising Wilsons River at the weekend. Thankfully, it did not top Lismore’s levee wall.
