New South Wales floods displace 'unimaginable' number of families, 500 properties uninhabitable

RNZ News

25-05-2025

By
Caitlyn Gribbin
, ABC
A resident visits a waterlogged motorcycle showroom on the banks of the Manning River in Taree on May 23, 2025.
Photo:
AFP/SAEED KHAN
A confronting picture of the number of
New South Wales flood
victims unable to return home is starting to emerge, with more than 500 properties declared uninhabitable and unsafe so far.
Specialist teams will on Monday continue to assess the damage to flooded properties on the NSW Mid North Coast, with fears at least 10,000 homes and businesses have been destroyed or seriously damaged.
Of those 10,000, about 3300 damaged properties have so far been assessed by authorities, with NSW State Emergency Service deputy commissioner Daniel Austin warning the number of homes
declared uninhabitable
would increase.
"The toll from that will continue to grow over the coming days. Our crews are on the ground, there are more coming," Austin said.
"We know there is a significant road ahead and we will continue to work with the community. We will be here all the way through this."
Communities across the Mid North Coast said the rebuilding effort would be significant and, in the meantime, residents would be forced into emergency housing.
First Nations woman Lauren Davies, who works for Indigenous training and employment centre Real Futures, said her office building in Taree had also been deemed uninhabitable.
"For us it means they're going to have to go in and gut every building along the street in the main section that flooded and to be rebuilt," Davies said.
She said she was now focused on helping the enormous number of people who cannot return home, by connecting them with local accommodation services and charities.
"It's unimaginable how many people have been displaced," she said.
"I was up at the evacuation centre the last couple of days and it's full. There's families in there, elderly people and people have come in and said I've got spare rooms, come and stay at my house. It's just overwhelming the amount of support."
NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin told ABC News support would be ongoing for displaced families.
"If you need immediate support, food, accommodation and connections to social services are available at evacuation centres," Saffin said.
"We're working to roll out the support that people need through evacuation centres now and recovery centres as they open. This is about making sure that people get a helping hand in these challenging times."
The SES said about 2,200 emergency service personnel were involved in the flooding incident, from government agencies, to police, the fire service and the Volunteer Rescue Association.
A spokesperson said further damage assessments would be completed this week.
"Buildings and properties are deemed habitable or uninhabitable based on strict and certain criteria and available field data.
"There are multiple reasons why a building could be deemed uninhabitable after flooding. Habitability refers to a dwelling being fit for human habitation, possessing basic amenities in working order and not being in substantial disrepair.
"Once the emergency services deem the property uninhabitable, engineers will undertake further assessments."
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ABC