The Australian Defence Force is arriving on the Gold Coast today to help aid the city in the huge recovery efforts following the devastating Christmas Day storm and New Year’s flooding event.
Huge piles of debris continue to line the streets and block roadways, while massive trees remain smashed through homes.
It’s not clear yet exactly where the 50 personnel will begin working, but some of the worst-hit areas include the northern Gold Coast and the hinterland.
Mayor Tom Tate has told Nine the ADF support is vital.
“The real key part is that they’ve got heavy-duty equipment where they can move some of these big trees that are impinging the restoration of power lines,” Mayor Tate says.
“And that’s where we’ll be asking for equipment that we don’t have, especially equipment that you can move trees around,
“Our estimate when we looked at the debris is that it’s equivalent of around 90 football fields together, stack the debris and waste two metres high and that’s what we’re dealing with,
“It’s quite devastating, especially up in the northern suburbs and up the mountain. That’s where the tornado really lined us up.”
Meantime, around 6,000 properties are still without power – the majority of those being in the Tamborine Mountain region.
About 1,000 Energex workers are back out in the field today working to restore the network.
Power should be back up and running for all customers by the end of this weekend.
