Flood resilience meeting keeps pressure on leaders

By Tim Howard

The Yamba community is building pressure on community leaders to better recognise the risks to residents posed through allowing development on flood plains.

On Sunday community groups the Yamba Community Action Network and Valley Watch have combined to hold a public meeting to discuss flood awareness and resilience.

YambaCAN secretary Lynne Cairns said the meeting would focus on enhancing the community’s understanding of flood risks, improving preparedness, and fostering collaboration between community and emergency support services.

“We aim to work constructively towards improving our collective response to flood risks through open dialogue and collaboration with the community and Clarence Valley Council,” Ms Cairns said.

“We have sent invitations to the Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, the council general manager

Laura Black, senior staff and also all councillors stating: We apologise for this late notification, however after A Current

Yamba Urban Release area were inundated in February and March 2022 when a rain event hit the Northern Rivers.

Affair visited and filmed a development in Yamba proceeding on the floodplain and devastating residents’ lives and livelihoods, followed by numerous articles in our local newspaper, it was decided to quickly follow up with a community meeting.”

Streets in the West

The heavy rainfall caused flash flooding and combined with flood waters from the Clarence River and high tides resulted in properties remaining cut off for days.

Residents reported fish swimming in their back yards as water levels persisted to remain high days after their properties first wend under.

They said the massive amounts of fill to lift homes above the flood level in the area have caused floodwater to spread into existing developments.

Ms Cairns said posters advertising the meeting were being distributed around town and a letter box drop was also occurring.

She said Greens MLC Sue Higginson would be the keynote speaker and other invitees would also have a chance to address the meeting.

There would also be a slide show demonstrating how the 2022 flood event affected the area and its duration.

She said in addition to Mr Williamson and the council officers and councillors, the SES, NSW Fire and Rescue, the NSW Ambulance and police had also been invited to take part.

She said the issues residents wanted clarified were:

• How to understand your risk

• How can you evacuate?

• Where can you evacuate to?

• How high was the last flood?

• How high could the next flood be?

• How high is your home’s floor level?

• When is the right time to evacuate?

• What resources and support can you access?

• What is your personal flood response plan?

• What does the future hold for flood management?

She said the ACA clip was available on the program website at: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=PgXK_Bxb3Y” or scan the QR Code below.

She the clip provided a good overview of the problems facing residents.

The ‘Yamba Get Ready - Flood Awareness and Resilience Meeting’ will be held at 2.45pm for 3pm start on Sunday in the Yamba Golf and Country Club, River Street, Yamba.