IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

The Cyclone Debbie Review

Following the completion of rapid damage assessments, 76 properties were deemed uninhabitable in South East Queensland. Approximately 1,600 properties lost power, though all were restored by 3 April. .62 Throughout the region there was significant loss of stock, crops and damage to rural infrastructure. The DCCSDS established a community recovery hub at Beenleigh 63 and approximately 150 64 people accessed the centre on Monday 3 April. 65 Volunteers, managed through Volunteering Queensland supported the Logan recovery. All local councils in South East Queensland region impacted by the rapid-onset weather event were eligible for Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) funding, as well as five from the Wide Bay-Burnett region (Appendix D).

By 8 April ongoing operations had transitioned to recovery and all local and district groups in the South East had “stood down. ” e To some the term “stand down” may have sounded as though groups had stopped work, and this caused concern. Councils in the South East made the point the term “stand down” does not convey the “appropriate graduated scaling back” that councils can undertake. A number of local governments had made provision for an early transition to recovery. City of Gold Coast began while still in the response phase, with the Mayor committing to replace the term “stand down” with “transition to recovery” to emphasise the point. While some local and district groups thought the initial request to stand up may not have been warranted, in hindsight, a number also flagged that the process enabled significant exercising of their disaster management capability.

The three concurrent events

North Queensland

State-level operations

Central Queensland

South East Queensland

Date

South East Queensland

1.00am • EA for scenic rim Early hours • Houses and properties along Albert River inundated 5.30am • Logan River peaked at 14.76m at Beaudesert (and again at 1.30pm) 7.00am • EA for parts of Logan around Eagleby 8.40am • EA for Gold Coast Morning • Directed Evacuation issued on behalf of Gold Coast for Ormeau area of Albert River 11.00am • Albert River peaked at 8m at Beenleigh Four evacuation centres opened across Logan . Evening • Logan River peaked at 10.5m at Waterford Power restored to 1600 properties DCCDS established a community recovery hub at Beenleigh Ongoing operations had transitioned to recovery Local and district groups had stood down

31 March

1 April

Aerial view of Fitzy’s at Waterford south of Brisbane. Photo courtesy of Logan City Council

3 April

Notes e. Logan was the last LDMG to stand down on 8 April 2017.

8 April

61

4 THE THREE CONCURRENT EVENTS

South East Queensland – rapid-onset flooding