Last Tuesday’s storm in Broken Hill has caused more frustration, more destruction and led to extra clean up.
The latest wild weather event saw 72.4mm of rainfall on the day, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), with some residents reporting it reached up to 140mm.
BOM’s 72.4mm reading more than doubles the amount (29.6) recorded at the start of the month.
Images of thunder strikes, damaged vehicles and homes, flowed onto social media from local snappers over the next day.
Broken Hill resident, Leigh Jarvis, said he would relaunch an investigation into the management of a drain that played a part in the repeated flooding of his 90-year-old mother’s property on Galena Street.
“There’s a big drain across the road that never gets cleaned,” he said. “Every time we get a big rain, my mother’s house gets flooded.”
“I’ve spoken to (Broken Hill City) Council before, and the (Westside) Plaza and both said it’s not their drain – I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”
During a vast downpour, Mr Jarvis, family, and friends went to unclog tree branches, leaves, and other items out of the drain for several hours.
He said it’s a risky job, but it’s the only option for now to reduce the impact on June Jarvis’ home, that is deteriorating.
“We are chest-deep in the water trying to clean the drain,” Mr Jarvis said. “We built a brand-new fence because the old one got washed away.
“The foundation of the house is starting to rot.” Ms Jarvis has lived in the home for over 60 years and is determined to stay there.
The heavy downfall led to floods and saw large amounts of silt and debris washed onto the streets.
Broken Hill City Council now have an even bigger task restoring the town’s condition and continue to urge community members to be patient during the process.
Mayor Tom Kennedy praised the work of Council staff and emergency services for their efforts after back-to-back storm damage.
“This is the second time we’ve had a significant storm event in recent weeks, and I just want to commend Council staff and emergency services crews for their response on both occasions,” he said.
“They’ve been working night and day to help those affected and clean up in the aftermath of the storms, and I’m sure I speak on behalf of the community in saying that their efforts are deeply appreciated.
“We hadn’t even finished cleaning up and undertaking repairs from the last storm, and unfortunately, we’ve been hit again.”
Harris Street (between Wills Street and Burke Street) was closed due to flood damage and underwent repairs that were planned to be completed by yesterday afternoon.
Council’s General Manager, Jay Nankivell, said the flooding became particularly bad for its outdoor crews.
“Our staff have been working tirelessly since the previous storm to try and get the streets back to normal, and unfortunately, this flood basically puts them back to square one,” he said.
“Again, we’d just ask the public to let us know about any areas that need urgent attention so we can flag it with our work crews.”
To report areas that require immediate attention, contact the Broken Hill City Council on (08) 8080 3300.
