Latest news with #Connell
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Eastern WA dust storm causes deadly Hwy 395 semi-truck chain-reaction pileup
One driver is dead and another person was taken to a Tri-Cities hospital after a six-vehicle pileup, including three semi trucks, Saturday evening on Highway 395. A separate crash about two hours earlier near the same location about four miles north of Connell left a Pasco man critically injured. Winds whipped through the Benton and Franklin County region on Saturday afternoon and evening, blowing dust and sand, and in some places wildfire smoke, across roadways, reducing visibility. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph were recorded at the Pasco airport Saturday. Both crashes were near where the highway curves to the northeast, and the Washington State Patrol said vehicles were traveling too fast for conditions. The highway was closed in both directions after the first crash but had reopened when the bigger collision happened. In the six-vehicle pileup, the three trucks and three cars were all heading north about 6:30 p.m. A semi driven by Oleg Kolesnyk, 54, of Auburn, Wash., crashed into a semi driven by Efren Guerrero, 55, of Moxee, according to a WSP report. Then Andrew E. Thomas, 29, of Spokane, crashed his Ford van into the second semi. He died before he could be taken to a hospital. The WSP did not know whether he had been wearing a seat belt. Thomas's van was hit by a GMC Yukon carrying a family of four, including children ages 6 and 8, said the WSP report. A truck driven by Geovanie A. Ramirez, 24, of Bakersfield, Calif., then hit the Yukon. No one in the Yukon, driven by Katelyn Croisetiere of Absarokee, Mont., or any of the truck drivers were hurt seriously enough to be taken to a hospital. However, Croisetiere and a passenger with no age available, plus the driver of the first truck, were listed as suffering some injuries. The sixth vehicle involved was a Chrysler Town and Country driven by Marita J. Little, 83, of Spokane, which crashed into Ramirez's truck, according to the WSP. She was wearing a seat belt and was taken by ambulance to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. Kadlec listed her in satisfactory condition Sunday. In the earlier wreck, a truck driven by Ovidiu Botan of Sandpoint, Idaho, slowed for traffic about 4:20 p.m. near the curve of Highway 395. His truck was hit by a Kia Optima driven by Lawrence Richins, 64, of Pasco, according to the WSP. Both were traveling north. Richins was taken to Kadlec, where he was in critical condition Sunday. Highway 395 was closed in both directions near Connell about 5:15 p.m. Saturday.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Woman's TikTok video gives the reason why she broke up with her boyfriend
A woman from the United States has suffered from a persistent sinus infection for seven years, which she believes began after an unusual incident involving her ex-boyfriend. Christine Connell , who shared her story on TikTok , said the infection started after a strange incident in 2016. She was recovering from ankle surgery in a hotel room with her then-boyfriend. According to her, he stood naked between their two beds and released a loud fart near her face. She was lying down and accidentally inhaled it. Shortly after, Connell began experiencing serious sinus problems. She had trouble breathing through her nose, constant headaches, and facial pain. What seemed like a minor issue turned into a long-term health battle. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Doctors found E. coli After visiting multiple doctors over the years, Connell was shocked to learn she had E. coli bacteria in her sinuses. E. coli is a type of bacteria usually found in the intestines and is mainly known for causing food poisoning or urinary tract infections. It is extremely rare for E. coli to be found in the sinuses. Doctors believe the bacteria entered her body during that incident, possibly because her immune system was weak due to surgery. Her body couldn't fight the infection properly, and it became chronic. Live Events Connell has tried several antibiotics and nasal sprays, but nothing has worked permanently. Some medications gave her temporary relief, but the infection always came back. Facing surgery Now, Connell says her doctors are considering surgery as the only solution. They may have to physically remove the infected tissue from her sinuses to help her finally recover. Her TikTok video about the situation has gone viral, with many users expressing disbelief, concern, and even humor. While the story may sound funny at first, Connell says it's been anything but. 'It's painful and exhausting,' she explained. Unusual but serious Though extremely rare, bacteria can spread unexpectedly; this case is a good example. It also shows how long-term infections can develop from small incidents, especially when the body is weakened. Connell hopes that by sharing her story, others will understand how strange situations can sometimes lead to serious health problems and why it's important to seek medical help when something doesn't feel right. FAQs What is the main cause of E. coli infection? The leading cause of E. coli infection is eating contaminated food, especially undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk or juice, and raw fruits or vegetables. It can also spread through contaminated water, personal contact, or poor hygiene. Why is E. coli harmful to humans? E. coli is harmful because some strains produce toxins that damage the lining of the intestines, leading to severe diarrhea, stomach cramps, and sometimes life-threatening complications like kidney failure, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and the elderly. What are the 4 symptoms of E. coli? Four common symptoms of E. coli infection are severe stomach cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and mild fever. Symptoms usually appear within 1 to 10 days after exposure and can last up to 10 days.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Flood victims wait in hope for future-proof solutions
From the door of Mel Connell's gift shop, in shin-deep water, the only things still recognisable were a few hanging festoon and fairy lights. After 14 years as a small retailer, she had to refashion her premises after floods ripped through the northern NSW town of Lismore in February 2022. By September, Ms Connell had reopened with $50 in her pocket and an unfinished building. She was thousands more short in products and equipment. Three years later, she still feels the impact. "It's been an extremely hard slog, I'm never doing that again," Ms Connell tells AAP. "I've got a business, my partner also has a job here, we've got a home loan. We can't just pack up and leave." Every time it rains heavily, she "freaks out". "People died here and we had a billion-dollar emergency, so I just wish the government would actually have some kind of plan in place to help us in the future." Tensions are high across the state's mid north coast and Hunter regions with more than a thousand properties uninhabitable and dozens more beyond repair. Insurance premiums have skyrocketed, with residents launching GoFundMe efforts to help salvage inundated homes. The Fitzgerald family in Taree had to set one up after insurers declined to cover them after they were flooded for a first time. "When the second flood struck, they were left with absolutely nothing," says campaign organiser Sharon Revell. "To make matters even more heartbreaking, the boys recently lost their beloved mum to terminal cancer. "Her passing has left three sons, one of whom lives with a disability, without their home, their stability and their mother." Elsewhere, GoFundMe organisers say insurance premiums for another second-time victim jumped four times their original cost following NSW floods in March 2021. About 1.36 million properties are at any time at risk of flooding across the state and in Victoria and Queensland, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. In Lismore, Ms Connell wants to see infrastructure built to withstand future events after 2022 triggered an exodus of residents. "People would reinvest into the town and not just our town, everywhere," she says. "We've had eight years with floods, we're trying to get the town back on its feet and it would bring positivity back. "It would be life-changing for a lot of people and having some kind of ... solution so they don't leave the postcode and can still purchase a property out of the flood zone would contribute to the economy here." There may be light at the end of the tunnel for residents and business owners with the insurance council calling for government and the sector to establish a $30 billion dollar fund to protect flood-prone communities. In a report issued prior to the federal election, it urged the building more flood defence infrastructure, buying-back properties and strengthening others in harm's way. "There is a solution. It's going to be a public-private partnership between government and insurers," the council's executive director Andrew Hall told Sydney radio station 2GB this week. "There are 220,000 homes on the east coast of Australia that are sitting in a two or five per cent chance of flooding every year. "We've priced the de-risking of 24 catchments on the east coast over a period of 10 years." However in Taree, a community which has been decimated by the recent floods, Mayor Claire Pontin says council looked at constructing higher levees but the cost outweighed the benefit. "Had we built those levees back then, this flood would have gone over the top of them anyway," she says. "All those issues about flood mitigation works to try and make our assets, and the community's assets, more resilient to flooding is on the table." Inflated insurance premiums have become a recurring conversation with flood affected victims. Last year, residents told of being forced to endure unreasonable wait times and being overcharged by insurers to an inquiry into flood failures. One claimed to have been left in the lurch for 18 months. "I am emotionally exhausted, I lost all my belongings," they said in a submission. "I have tried to obtain online quotes from other insurers and they are either exorbitant or they refuse to insure in our area. "We applied for a buyback of the property through the resilient homes fund but have been rejected, despite having six properties surrounding us that have been bought back and in the process of being demolished." The NSW Department of Planning is in the throes of responding to inquiry recommendations following the 2022 floods. "The government is stopping inappropriate developments on dangerous floodplains," according to a spokesperson. "To proactively plan and mitigate against the impacts of floods in NSW, the Department is taking a risk-based approach to planning decisions on dangerous flood plains." Queensland's Department of Infrastructure says it has been liaising with other agencies on policy. "Key actions such as natural hazard mapping (has been) undertaken across the state and each local government area implements their own flood risk mapping tools for Queenslanders to utilise and check risk for personal safety and property," a spokesperson says. "The department continues to work closely with various other agencies and local councils responsible for navigating the state's preparedness for natural hazards, risk and resilience, particularly when it comes to land use." About 300,000 people lodged claims with insurance companies after the 2022 NSW floods, with the state and Commonwealth committing more than $3.5 billion for recovery. Assistant federal treasurer Daniel Mulino says some insurers have been too slow to clean up devastated communities. "(About) 90 to 95 per cent of claims are resolved within a year or so but that still leaves a very large number of claims hanging on," he this week told ABC Radio. "We've seen in a number of instances, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people with still unresolved claims a year or even two years after the disaster." Some 6000 people currently have claims lodged with the insurance council. Applications opened on Friday for commonwealth-state payments to help cover costs for items including food, clothing, medication and emergency accommodation. From the door of Mel Connell's gift shop, in shin-deep water, the only things still recognisable were a few hanging festoon and fairy lights. After 14 years as a small retailer, she had to refashion her premises after floods ripped through the northern NSW town of Lismore in February 2022. By September, Ms Connell had reopened with $50 in her pocket and an unfinished building. She was thousands more short in products and equipment. Three years later, she still feels the impact. "It's been an extremely hard slog, I'm never doing that again," Ms Connell tells AAP. "I've got a business, my partner also has a job here, we've got a home loan. We can't just pack up and leave." Every time it rains heavily, she "freaks out". "People died here and we had a billion-dollar emergency, so I just wish the government would actually have some kind of plan in place to help us in the future." Tensions are high across the state's mid north coast and Hunter regions with more than a thousand properties uninhabitable and dozens more beyond repair. Insurance premiums have skyrocketed, with residents launching GoFundMe efforts to help salvage inundated homes. The Fitzgerald family in Taree had to set one up after insurers declined to cover them after they were flooded for a first time. "When the second flood struck, they were left with absolutely nothing," says campaign organiser Sharon Revell. "To make matters even more heartbreaking, the boys recently lost their beloved mum to terminal cancer. "Her passing has left three sons, one of whom lives with a disability, without their home, their stability and their mother." Elsewhere, GoFundMe organisers say insurance premiums for another second-time victim jumped four times their original cost following NSW floods in March 2021. About 1.36 million properties are at any time at risk of flooding across the state and in Victoria and Queensland, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. In Lismore, Ms Connell wants to see infrastructure built to withstand future events after 2022 triggered an exodus of residents. "People would reinvest into the town and not just our town, everywhere," she says. "We've had eight years with floods, we're trying to get the town back on its feet and it would bring positivity back. "It would be life-changing for a lot of people and having some kind of ... solution so they don't leave the postcode and can still purchase a property out of the flood zone would contribute to the economy here." There may be light at the end of the tunnel for residents and business owners with the insurance council calling for government and the sector to establish a $30 billion dollar fund to protect flood-prone communities. In a report issued prior to the federal election, it urged the building more flood defence infrastructure, buying-back properties and strengthening others in harm's way. "There is a solution. It's going to be a public-private partnership between government and insurers," the council's executive director Andrew Hall told Sydney radio station 2GB this week. "There are 220,000 homes on the east coast of Australia that are sitting in a two or five per cent chance of flooding every year. "We've priced the de-risking of 24 catchments on the east coast over a period of 10 years." However in Taree, a community which has been decimated by the recent floods, Mayor Claire Pontin says council looked at constructing higher levees but the cost outweighed the benefit. "Had we built those levees back then, this flood would have gone over the top of them anyway," she says. "All those issues about flood mitigation works to try and make our assets, and the community's assets, more resilient to flooding is on the table." Inflated insurance premiums have become a recurring conversation with flood affected victims. Last year, residents told of being forced to endure unreasonable wait times and being overcharged by insurers to an inquiry into flood failures. One claimed to have been left in the lurch for 18 months. "I am emotionally exhausted, I lost all my belongings," they said in a submission. "I have tried to obtain online quotes from other insurers and they are either exorbitant or they refuse to insure in our area. "We applied for a buyback of the property through the resilient homes fund but have been rejected, despite having six properties surrounding us that have been bought back and in the process of being demolished." The NSW Department of Planning is in the throes of responding to inquiry recommendations following the 2022 floods. "The government is stopping inappropriate developments on dangerous floodplains," according to a spokesperson. "To proactively plan and mitigate against the impacts of floods in NSW, the Department is taking a risk-based approach to planning decisions on dangerous flood plains." Queensland's Department of Infrastructure says it has been liaising with other agencies on policy. "Key actions such as natural hazard mapping (has been) undertaken across the state and each local government area implements their own flood risk mapping tools for Queenslanders to utilise and check risk for personal safety and property," a spokesperson says. "The department continues to work closely with various other agencies and local councils responsible for navigating the state's preparedness for natural hazards, risk and resilience, particularly when it comes to land use." About 300,000 people lodged claims with insurance companies after the 2022 NSW floods, with the state and Commonwealth committing more than $3.5 billion for recovery. Assistant federal treasurer Daniel Mulino says some insurers have been too slow to clean up devastated communities. "(About) 90 to 95 per cent of claims are resolved within a year or so but that still leaves a very large number of claims hanging on," he this week told ABC Radio. "We've seen in a number of instances, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people with still unresolved claims a year or even two years after the disaster." Some 6000 people currently have claims lodged with the insurance council. Applications opened on Friday for commonwealth-state payments to help cover costs for items including food, clothing, medication and emergency accommodation. From the door of Mel Connell's gift shop, in shin-deep water, the only things still recognisable were a few hanging festoon and fairy lights. After 14 years as a small retailer, she had to refashion her premises after floods ripped through the northern NSW town of Lismore in February 2022. By September, Ms Connell had reopened with $50 in her pocket and an unfinished building. She was thousands more short in products and equipment. Three years later, she still feels the impact. "It's been an extremely hard slog, I'm never doing that again," Ms Connell tells AAP. "I've got a business, my partner also has a job here, we've got a home loan. We can't just pack up and leave." Every time it rains heavily, she "freaks out". "People died here and we had a billion-dollar emergency, so I just wish the government would actually have some kind of plan in place to help us in the future." Tensions are high across the state's mid north coast and Hunter regions with more than a thousand properties uninhabitable and dozens more beyond repair. Insurance premiums have skyrocketed, with residents launching GoFundMe efforts to help salvage inundated homes. The Fitzgerald family in Taree had to set one up after insurers declined to cover them after they were flooded for a first time. "When the second flood struck, they were left with absolutely nothing," says campaign organiser Sharon Revell. "To make matters even more heartbreaking, the boys recently lost their beloved mum to terminal cancer. "Her passing has left three sons, one of whom lives with a disability, without their home, their stability and their mother." Elsewhere, GoFundMe organisers say insurance premiums for another second-time victim jumped four times their original cost following NSW floods in March 2021. About 1.36 million properties are at any time at risk of flooding across the state and in Victoria and Queensland, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. In Lismore, Ms Connell wants to see infrastructure built to withstand future events after 2022 triggered an exodus of residents. "People would reinvest into the town and not just our town, everywhere," she says. "We've had eight years with floods, we're trying to get the town back on its feet and it would bring positivity back. "It would be life-changing for a lot of people and having some kind of ... solution so they don't leave the postcode and can still purchase a property out of the flood zone would contribute to the economy here." There may be light at the end of the tunnel for residents and business owners with the insurance council calling for government and the sector to establish a $30 billion dollar fund to protect flood-prone communities. In a report issued prior to the federal election, it urged the building more flood defence infrastructure, buying-back properties and strengthening others in harm's way. "There is a solution. It's going to be a public-private partnership between government and insurers," the council's executive director Andrew Hall told Sydney radio station 2GB this week. "There are 220,000 homes on the east coast of Australia that are sitting in a two or five per cent chance of flooding every year. "We've priced the de-risking of 24 catchments on the east coast over a period of 10 years." However in Taree, a community which has been decimated by the recent floods, Mayor Claire Pontin says council looked at constructing higher levees but the cost outweighed the benefit. "Had we built those levees back then, this flood would have gone over the top of them anyway," she says. "All those issues about flood mitigation works to try and make our assets, and the community's assets, more resilient to flooding is on the table." Inflated insurance premiums have become a recurring conversation with flood affected victims. Last year, residents told of being forced to endure unreasonable wait times and being overcharged by insurers to an inquiry into flood failures. One claimed to have been left in the lurch for 18 months. "I am emotionally exhausted, I lost all my belongings," they said in a submission. "I have tried to obtain online quotes from other insurers and they are either exorbitant or they refuse to insure in our area. "We applied for a buyback of the property through the resilient homes fund but have been rejected, despite having six properties surrounding us that have been bought back and in the process of being demolished." The NSW Department of Planning is in the throes of responding to inquiry recommendations following the 2022 floods. "The government is stopping inappropriate developments on dangerous floodplains," according to a spokesperson. "To proactively plan and mitigate against the impacts of floods in NSW, the Department is taking a risk-based approach to planning decisions on dangerous flood plains." Queensland's Department of Infrastructure says it has been liaising with other agencies on policy. "Key actions such as natural hazard mapping (has been) undertaken across the state and each local government area implements their own flood risk mapping tools for Queenslanders to utilise and check risk for personal safety and property," a spokesperson says. "The department continues to work closely with various other agencies and local councils responsible for navigating the state's preparedness for natural hazards, risk and resilience, particularly when it comes to land use." About 300,000 people lodged claims with insurance companies after the 2022 NSW floods, with the state and Commonwealth committing more than $3.5 billion for recovery. Assistant federal treasurer Daniel Mulino says some insurers have been too slow to clean up devastated communities. "(About) 90 to 95 per cent of claims are resolved within a year or so but that still leaves a very large number of claims hanging on," he this week told ABC Radio. "We've seen in a number of instances, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people with still unresolved claims a year or even two years after the disaster." Some 6000 people currently have claims lodged with the insurance council. Applications opened on Friday for commonwealth-state payments to help cover costs for items including food, clothing, medication and emergency accommodation. From the door of Mel Connell's gift shop, in shin-deep water, the only things still recognisable were a few hanging festoon and fairy lights. After 14 years as a small retailer, she had to refashion her premises after floods ripped through the northern NSW town of Lismore in February 2022. By September, Ms Connell had reopened with $50 in her pocket and an unfinished building. She was thousands more short in products and equipment. Three years later, she still feels the impact. "It's been an extremely hard slog, I'm never doing that again," Ms Connell tells AAP. "I've got a business, my partner also has a job here, we've got a home loan. We can't just pack up and leave." Every time it rains heavily, she "freaks out". "People died here and we had a billion-dollar emergency, so I just wish the government would actually have some kind of plan in place to help us in the future." Tensions are high across the state's mid north coast and Hunter regions with more than a thousand properties uninhabitable and dozens more beyond repair. Insurance premiums have skyrocketed, with residents launching GoFundMe efforts to help salvage inundated homes. The Fitzgerald family in Taree had to set one up after insurers declined to cover them after they were flooded for a first time. "When the second flood struck, they were left with absolutely nothing," says campaign organiser Sharon Revell. "To make matters even more heartbreaking, the boys recently lost their beloved mum to terminal cancer. "Her passing has left three sons, one of whom lives with a disability, without their home, their stability and their mother." Elsewhere, GoFundMe organisers say insurance premiums for another second-time victim jumped four times their original cost following NSW floods in March 2021. About 1.36 million properties are at any time at risk of flooding across the state and in Victoria and Queensland, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. In Lismore, Ms Connell wants to see infrastructure built to withstand future events after 2022 triggered an exodus of residents. "People would reinvest into the town and not just our town, everywhere," she says. "We've had eight years with floods, we're trying to get the town back on its feet and it would bring positivity back. "It would be life-changing for a lot of people and having some kind of ... solution so they don't leave the postcode and can still purchase a property out of the flood zone would contribute to the economy here." There may be light at the end of the tunnel for residents and business owners with the insurance council calling for government and the sector to establish a $30 billion dollar fund to protect flood-prone communities. In a report issued prior to the federal election, it urged the building more flood defence infrastructure, buying-back properties and strengthening others in harm's way. "There is a solution. It's going to be a public-private partnership between government and insurers," the council's executive director Andrew Hall told Sydney radio station 2GB this week. "There are 220,000 homes on the east coast of Australia that are sitting in a two or five per cent chance of flooding every year. "We've priced the de-risking of 24 catchments on the east coast over a period of 10 years." However in Taree, a community which has been decimated by the recent floods, Mayor Claire Pontin says council looked at constructing higher levees but the cost outweighed the benefit. "Had we built those levees back then, this flood would have gone over the top of them anyway," she says. "All those issues about flood mitigation works to try and make our assets, and the community's assets, more resilient to flooding is on the table." Inflated insurance premiums have become a recurring conversation with flood affected victims. Last year, residents told of being forced to endure unreasonable wait times and being overcharged by insurers to an inquiry into flood failures. One claimed to have been left in the lurch for 18 months. "I am emotionally exhausted, I lost all my belongings," they said in a submission. "I have tried to obtain online quotes from other insurers and they are either exorbitant or they refuse to insure in our area. "We applied for a buyback of the property through the resilient homes fund but have been rejected, despite having six properties surrounding us that have been bought back and in the process of being demolished." The NSW Department of Planning is in the throes of responding to inquiry recommendations following the 2022 floods. "The government is stopping inappropriate developments on dangerous floodplains," according to a spokesperson. "To proactively plan and mitigate against the impacts of floods in NSW, the Department is taking a risk-based approach to planning decisions on dangerous flood plains." Queensland's Department of Infrastructure says it has been liaising with other agencies on policy. "Key actions such as natural hazard mapping (has been) undertaken across the state and each local government area implements their own flood risk mapping tools for Queenslanders to utilise and check risk for personal safety and property," a spokesperson says. "The department continues to work closely with various other agencies and local councils responsible for navigating the state's preparedness for natural hazards, risk and resilience, particularly when it comes to land use." About 300,000 people lodged claims with insurance companies after the 2022 NSW floods, with the state and Commonwealth committing more than $3.5 billion for recovery. Assistant federal treasurer Daniel Mulino says some insurers have been too slow to clean up devastated communities. "(About) 90 to 95 per cent of claims are resolved within a year or so but that still leaves a very large number of claims hanging on," he this week told ABC Radio. "We've seen in a number of instances, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people with still unresolved claims a year or even two years after the disaster." Some 6000 people currently have claims lodged with the insurance council. Applications opened on Friday for commonwealth-state payments to help cover costs for items including food, clothing, medication and emergency accommodation.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Flood victims wait in hope for future-proof solutions
From the door of Mel Connell's gift shop, in shin-deep water, the only things still recognisable were a few hanging festoon and fairy lights. After 14 years as a small retailer, she had to refashion her premises after floods ripped through the northern NSW town of Lismore in February 2022. By September, Ms Connell had reopened with $50 in her pocket and an unfinished building. She was thousands more short in products and equipment. Three years later, she still feels the impact. "It's been an extremely hard slog, I'm never doing that again," Ms Connell tells AAP. "I've got a business, my partner also has a job here, we've got a home loan. We can't just pack up and leave." Every time it rains heavily, she "freaks out". "People died here and we had a billion-dollar emergency, so I just wish the government would actually have some kind of plan in place to help us in the future." Tensions are high across the state's mid north coast and Hunter regions with more than a thousand properties uninhabitable and dozens more beyond repair. Insurance premiums have skyrocketed, with residents launching GoFundMe efforts to help salvage inundated homes. The Fitzgerald family in Taree had to set one up after insurers declined to cover them after they were flooded for a first time. "When the second flood struck, they were left with absolutely nothing," says campaign organiser Sharon Revell. "To make matters even more heartbreaking, the boys recently lost their beloved mum to terminal cancer. "Her passing has left three sons, one of whom lives with a disability, without their home, their stability and their mother." Elsewhere, GoFundMe organisers say insurance premiums for another second-time victim jumped four times their original cost following NSW floods in March 2021. About 1.36 million properties are at any time at risk of flooding across the state and in Victoria and Queensland, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. In Lismore, Ms Connell wants to see infrastructure built to withstand future events after 2022 triggered an exodus of residents. "People would reinvest into the town and not just our town, everywhere," she says. "We've had eight years with floods, we're trying to get the town back on its feet and it would bring positivity back. "It would be life-changing for a lot of people and having some kind of ... solution so they don't leave the postcode and can still purchase a property out of the flood zone would contribute to the economy here." There may be light at the end of the tunnel for residents and business owners with the insurance council calling for government and the sector to establish a $30 billion dollar fund to protect flood-prone communities. In a report issued prior to the federal election, it urged the building more flood defence infrastructure, buying-back properties and strengthening others in harm's way. "There is a solution. It's going to be a public-private partnership between government and insurers," the council's executive director Andrew Hall told Sydney radio station 2GB this week. "There are 220,000 homes on the east coast of Australia that are sitting in a two or five per cent chance of flooding every year. "We've priced the de-risking of 24 catchments on the east coast over a period of 10 years." However in Taree, a community which has been decimated by the recent floods, Mayor Claire Pontin says council looked at constructing higher levees but the cost outweighed the benefit. "Had we built those levees back then, this flood would have gone over the top of them anyway," she says. "All those issues about flood mitigation works to try and make our assets, and the community's assets, more resilient to flooding is on the table." Inflated insurance premiums have become a recurring conversation with flood affected victims. Last year, residents told of being forced to endure unreasonable wait times and being overcharged by insurers to an inquiry into flood failures. One claimed to have been left in the lurch for 18 months. "I am emotionally exhausted, I lost all my belongings," they said in a submission. "I have tried to obtain online quotes from other insurers and they are either exorbitant or they refuse to insure in our area. "We applied for a buyback of the property through the resilient homes fund but have been rejected, despite having six properties surrounding us that have been bought back and in the process of being demolished." The NSW Department of Planning is in the throes of responding to inquiry recommendations following the 2022 floods. "The government is stopping inappropriate developments on dangerous floodplains," according to a spokesperson. "To proactively plan and mitigate against the impacts of floods in NSW, the Department is taking a risk-based approach to planning decisions on dangerous flood plains." Queensland's Department of Infrastructure says it has been liaising with other agencies on policy. "Key actions such as natural hazard mapping (has been) undertaken across the state and each local government area implements their own flood risk mapping tools for Queenslanders to utilise and check risk for personal safety and property," a spokesperson says. "The department continues to work closely with various other agencies and local councils responsible for navigating the state's preparedness for natural hazards, risk and resilience, particularly when it comes to land use." About 300,000 people lodged claims with insurance companies after the 2022 NSW floods, with the state and Commonwealth committing more than $3.5 billion for recovery. Assistant federal treasurer Daniel Mulino says some insurers have been too slow to clean up devastated communities. "(About) 90 to 95 per cent of claims are resolved within a year or so but that still leaves a very large number of claims hanging on," he this week told ABC Radio. "We've seen in a number of instances, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people with still unresolved claims a year or even two years after the disaster." Some 6000 people currently have claims lodged with the insurance council. Applications opened on Friday for commonwealth-state payments to help cover costs for items including food, clothing, medication and emergency accommodation.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Flood victims wait in hope for future-proof solutions
From the door of Mel Connell's gift shop, in shin-deep water, the only things still recognisable were a few hanging festoon and fairy lights. After 14 years as a small retailer, she had to refashion her premises after floods ripped through the northern NSW town of Lismore in February 2022. By September, Ms Connell had reopened with $50 in her pocket and an unfinished building. She was thousands more short in products and equipment. Three years later, she still feels the impact. "It's been an extremely hard slog, I'm never doing that again," Ms Connell tells AAP. "I've got a business, my partner also has a job here, we've got a home loan. We can't just pack up and leave." Every time it rains heavily, she "freaks out". "People died here and we had a billion-dollar emergency, so I just wish the government would actually have some kind of plan in place to help us in the future." Tensions are high across the state's mid north coast and Hunter regions with more than a thousand properties uninhabitable and dozens more beyond repair. Insurance premiums have skyrocketed, with residents launching GoFundMe efforts to help salvage inundated homes. The Fitzgerald family in Taree had to set one up after insurers declined to cover them after they were flooded for a first time. "When the second flood struck, they were left with absolutely nothing," says campaign organiser Sharon Revell. "To make matters even more heartbreaking, the boys recently lost their beloved mum to terminal cancer. "Her passing has left three sons, one of whom lives with a disability, without their home, their stability and their mother." Elsewhere, GoFundMe organisers say insurance premiums for another second-time victim jumped four times their original cost following NSW floods in March 2021. About 1.36 million properties are at any time at risk of flooding across the state and in Victoria and Queensland, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. In Lismore, Ms Connell wants to see infrastructure built to withstand future events after 2022 triggered an exodus of residents. "People would reinvest into the town and not just our town, everywhere," she says. "We've had eight years with floods, we're trying to get the town back on its feet and it would bring positivity back. "It would be life-changing for a lot of people and having some kind of ... solution so they don't leave the postcode and can still purchase a property out of the flood zone would contribute to the economy here." There may be light at the end of the tunnel for residents and business owners with the insurance council calling for government and the sector to establish a $30 billion dollar fund to protect flood-prone communities. In a report issued prior to the federal election, it urged the building more flood defence infrastructure, buying-back properties and strengthening others in harm's way. "There is a solution. It's going to be a public-private partnership between government and insurers," the council's executive director Andrew Hall told Sydney radio station 2GB this week. "There are 220,000 homes on the east coast of Australia that are sitting in a two or five per cent chance of flooding every year. "We've priced the de-risking of 24 catchments on the east coast over a period of 10 years." However in Taree, a community which has been decimated by the recent floods, Mayor Claire Pontin says council looked at constructing higher levees but the cost outweighed the benefit. "Had we built those levees back then, this flood would have gone over the top of them anyway," she says. "All those issues about flood mitigation works to try and make our assets, and the community's assets, more resilient to flooding is on the table." Inflated insurance premiums have become a recurring conversation with flood affected victims. Last year, residents told of being forced to endure unreasonable wait times and being overcharged by insurers to an inquiry into flood failures. One claimed to have been left in the lurch for 18 months. "I am emotionally exhausted, I lost all my belongings," they said in a submission. "I have tried to obtain online quotes from other insurers and they are either exorbitant or they refuse to insure in our area. "We applied for a buyback of the property through the resilient homes fund but have been rejected, despite having six properties surrounding us that have been bought back and in the process of being demolished." The NSW Department of Planning is in the throes of responding to inquiry recommendations following the 2022 floods. "The government is stopping inappropriate developments on dangerous floodplains," according to a spokesperson. "To proactively plan and mitigate against the impacts of floods in NSW, the Department is taking a risk-based approach to planning decisions on dangerous flood plains." Queensland's Department of Infrastructure says it has been liaising with other agencies on policy. "Key actions such as natural hazard mapping (has been) undertaken across the state and each local government area implements their own flood risk mapping tools for Queenslanders to utilise and check risk for personal safety and property," a spokesperson says. "The department continues to work closely with various other agencies and local councils responsible for navigating the state's preparedness for natural hazards, risk and resilience, particularly when it comes to land use." About 300,000 people lodged claims with insurance companies after the 2022 NSW floods, with the state and Commonwealth committing more than $3.5 billion for recovery. Assistant federal treasurer Daniel Mulino says some insurers have been too slow to clean up devastated communities. "(About) 90 to 95 per cent of claims are resolved within a year or so but that still leaves a very large number of claims hanging on," he this week told ABC Radio. "We've seen in a number of instances, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people with still unresolved claims a year or even two years after the disaster." Some 6000 people currently have claims lodged with the insurance council. Applications opened on Friday for commonwealth-state payments to help cover costs for items including food, clothing, medication and emergency accommodation.
