NT: Katherine flood victims head home to rebuild lives

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2006
NT: Katherine flood victims head home to rebuild lives

By Karen Michelmore

KATHERINE, NT, April 8 AAP - A flowerpot and ironing board cover float by in what is
left of Helga Jung's home.

An overturned bookshelf lies half submerged near a soggy purple couch and rows of filing
cabinets in the adjoining room are hidden under murky brown water.

Victims of the devastating Katherine floods have begun returning to their water-logged
homes as the town slowly returns to normal.

"I'm just amazed at how high the water got, it's just heart breaking," said Ms Jung.

More than 600 residents were evacuated and some 100 homes affected when Katherine,
300km south of Darwin, began to be inundated with floodwater last Wednesday night.

"I tried to grab whatever I could, but then the lights went out," Ms Jung said.

"I tried to shut the glass door to stop the water coming in, but it was gushing in."

Life in the Northern Territory's third largest town is now beginning to return to normal
as floodwaters quickly recede.

The main supermarket had reopened and locals were today stocking up after the worst
flood since 1998, when the entire town was submerged.

The water level was dropping by 1.5 metres a day, and at midday (CST) the swollen Katherine
River was 17.65m high.

"I'm just amazed at how low the water's got," said Ms Jung, standing knee deep in water
in her house.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin flew into Katherine with three government
ministers to plan the long-term reconstruction effort, with insurers estimating the damage
bill will run into millions of dollars.

"There's a lot activity getting things back to normal happening already," Ms Martin said.

"I'm feeling very hopeful that for the people of this region it won't be too long before
most normal activity is happening."

She conceded things could have been done better, with some residents unhappy they were
not given adequate warning of the impending disaster.

"Maybe looking back there could have been more information given," Ms Martin said.

"I think there's always lessons learned. The sad fact of life is the territory does
deal with a number of disasters and I think we deal with them on the whole very effectively."

Many Katherine residents were today coming to grips with the big clean-up ahead.

Locals were hosing mud off furniture and floors, throwing out destroyed chairs, fridges
and washing machines, but all were resilient and eager to shrug off the tragedy.

"It's just part of life. You don't worry about all those things, said resident Phil Boyle.

Like many others he is exhausted, having bunked down with 25 others in one house over
the past few nights.

"I went and slept somewhere else last night and had a restful sleep away from all those
kids running, screaming and fighting," he said.

But for Ms Jung and her partner Justin Tysoe, the clean-up may last a little longer.

"We actually brought the pressure hose, we thought we would try and clean-up a bit,"

Ms Jung said.

"But there's just no point, we'll have to wait for the water level to drop some more."

AAP km/bd/evt/nf

KEYWORD: FLOODS NT NIGHTLEAD (PIX AVAILABLE)

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