SITUATION UPDATE – July 5, 2022
Heavy rains continues to hit east coast of Australia since February this year. As of last week, many parts of Sydney are overflown with flood causing more than 50,000 people in western suburbs to Sydney to evacuate. This recent flood have taken one live, and the rain is expected to continue in the coming week.
Since the end of February, the east coast of Australia has experienced a series of severe El Niño weather events bringing record rain falls, and at times gale-force winds.
To-date:
- 90 Local Government Areas have been impacted by floods in Eastern Australia since late February 2022- 64 LGAs in NSW, and the remainder in Queensland.
- Around 11 million people have been affected by this weather and the resultant floods.
- The cost of the flood damage is estimated to be well over $2.5 billion AUD and counting.
The county’s worst floods in recorded history occurred in SE Queensland and northern NSW in late February and early March this year, were followed by flooding as far south as Sydney, causing the horrific scenarios of submerged towns and rescues from rooftops in towns such as Lismore that the world saw in the media. In early April, a second round of flooding hit the east coast from SE Queensland and NSW as far south as Sydney, submerging many of the same homes, businesses, farms and vital infrastructure that had previously been impacted.
Emergency response services, primarily the SES, have been working without a break since February.
HOW TO HELP
Individual donors can donate online to Give2Asia’s flood relief fund. For large gifts (via check, bank transfer, or appreciated stock) or corporate giving opportunities, please request a consultation or email us at info@give2asia.org.
CURRENT NEEDS
Various levels of government and not-for-profit organizations have offered generous support for communities and households affected by the floods. However, our partners and communities identified the following needs:
- Food relief for families who have lost their homes and incomes.
- Mental health and psychosocial support for flood-affected people in the worst hit communities.
- Support for re-building houses and even semi-permanent accommodation.
OUR PARTNERS’ RESPONSE
St Vincent de Paul
St Vincent de Paul will provide the following support for families affected by the floods:
- Food and clothing for families who have been forced out of their homes.
- Bills and unexpected expenses for households recovering from the floods.
- Helping families whose homes have been destroyed or damaged to set up again by providing furniture, bedding and appliances.
UnitingCare Community
UnitingCare Community (formerly Lifeline Community Care) Queensland is a leading provider of community services in Queensland and prides itself on its client-focused care. It is part of the UnitingCare Queensland group of community service organizations with strong values base, namely: compassion, justice, respect, working together, and leading through learning. They provide many important services to Queenslanders within key service streams such as individual and community support; children and families; older persons; disability; inclusion support; and childcare. They are one of the organizations recommended by the NSW government for mental health support. Uniting Care Community will provide vital mental health support during this crisis through call centers and on-the-ground support.
Foodbank Australia
Foodbank is Australia’s largest food relief organisation, operating on a scale that makes it crucial to the work of the front line charities who are feeding vulnerable Australians. Foodbank provides more than 70% of the food rescued for food relief organisation nationwide. Funds will cover:
- Sourcing non-perishable food staples (and when needed drinking water and other foods) from suppliers and donations
- Transporting these products to flood affected communities
- Distributing food through front-line charities, or where this is not possible, Foodbank staff provide boxed hampers to families.
- Estimated Foodbank will provide some sort of food relief to 4 million flood affected people.
NSW Rural Fires Service Association
During the response and recovery phase, NSW RSFA will provide:
- Support for community members of RFSA to help their own communities in northern and central NSW.
- Clean t-shirts, pairs of socks, hats for volunteers
- Wipes during the clean-up operation
- Coffee vans at staging areas in Northern NSW
- Emotional support for people affected by floods
