Winds may cause havoc to trees

THE Tweed may have escaped damage from flooding during this week’s so-called “land-phoon”, but emergency services yesterday were bracing for the effects of forecast strong winds.

“With so much rain, it’s all saturated at the moment. If we get any strong wind that contributes to the instability of trees and down they come,” said Murwillumbah State Emergency Service controller Chris Chrisostomos.

Mr Chrisostomos said the SES was prepared for call-outs to remove fallen trees from roads and driveways but was relieved the area had escaped flooding.

During the heavy rain which began on Sunday, no Tweed Shire roads were closed, though many were flooded further south in the Byron Shire, Ballina Shire and Lismore City areas.

Yesterday Bureau of Meteorology rainfall statistics revealed an easing of rain across the Tweed, with showers amounting to little more than a drizzle.

Rainfall figures for the three hours until 3pm showed the heaviest fall was only 11mm at Eungella, west of Murwillumbah, followed by 9.1mm at Bald Mountain, behind Chillingham, where traditionally some of the highest rainfall occurs.

The next heaviest fall was at Brays Creek, below the Border Ranges, where 9mm was recorded. In Murwillumbah, 6.6mm fell in the same three hours while Barneys Point received just 0.1mm.

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