Tuesday,

y, JJanuary
y 18,, 2011 KEEPING THE SOUTH EAST INFORMED
ORMED SINCE 1861 rwatch.com.au | $1.00
www.borderwatch.com.au

CARSMART
TOYOTA INSIDE
TODAY
REVEALS
AUSTRALIAN

548037
PRIUS
LIFTOUT FAMILY OF 8 PAGE LIFTOUT OPEN TENNIS
INSIDE
VEHICLES INSIDE TODAY PREVIEW

Call outs swamp SES

Emergency services stretched as flash flooding causes havoc across city
JACOB
JAC
MOSS
MO
Email: jake@tbw.com.au
Email

MOUNT Gambier’s worst flood in living memory

swamped the city on Thursday night, bringing
several areas to a stand-still and leaving behind
thousands of dollars damage to homes and busi-
nesses.
Flash flooding caused electricity and phone
services to be cut and pushed emergency services
to their limit as they attended a record 100 callouts
to help “panicked” residents as water levels reached
the doorsteps of businesses and houses.
“It was hectic in the shared emergency services
room but we were coping, however we were receiv-
ing calls from many who were panicking,” Mount
Gambier State Emergency Services spokesperson
Bev Jolley said.
“From 4pm the phone calls began and did not
stop - due to the incredible demand for personnel I
was left along doing a three person job at the phones
dispatching vehicles to jobs non-stop.
“There were alarms ringing from one job to another
and we were sending crews out like a conveyor belt
until about 1am - one woman called and said she
was walking around the back of her property with
water up to her knees.” CITY UNDERWATER: A
Just below 100mm fell upon the city in a matter City Council worker,
of hours, with the bulk of the downpour recorded pictured above up to his
between 2pm and 9pm. chest in water, attempts to
The city’s north was the worst affected with unblock a stormwater drain
Wireless Road, St Martins Drive and roads join- in a retention basin on St
ing with the northern end of Penola road largely Martins Drive as flood
underwater, however pockets of the central business levels encroach and seep
district were also hit with streets surrounding Centro into surrounding residents’
shopping complex inundated with water. houses.
Ms Jolley reported that over 700 sand bags were
deployed along with 60 personnel from SES, country BATTLERS: Jason Sims
fire service and the metropolitan fire services who (left), Ian Sims, Harold
worked into the early hours of Friday morning Weeden and Heather
attending to flood mitigation. Sims, pictured right, try to
Services were also forced to prioritise as they were save their family business
overwhelmed with calls with the elderly, deaf and - Barry’s Door Services -
disabled at the “top of the list”, Ms Jolley said. from taking in further
flooding with some of the
Continued page 3 700 sand bags used last
More stories and pictures pages 2, 3 and 12 Thursday night.

WEATHER > MOUNT GAMBIER TODAY - LIGHT MORNING SHOWER. 19O – REPORT PAGE 25 TV GUIDE > PAGE 11 COMICS > PAGE 17 CLASSIFIEDS > PAGES 18-21

Don’t put it off, get your

Out with the Old, In with the New windows replaced NOW.

+ + =
Call your locally owned and operated window replacement specialists on (08) 8725 0733, Display centre 33 Crouch St South, Mount Gambier or visit www.mountglass.com.au 549017