Tweed declared disaster zone

The Tweed has been declared a natural disaster zone following the flood of last week, in which this debris collected on a bridge on Kyogle Rd.

Blainey Woodham

Related links

• Rain brings "dangerous" floods
• Wet and wetter in Tweed
• Wet and wild weather

TWEED Shire Council has been declared a natural disaster zone after floods hit the region last week.

NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services Michael Gallacher made the declaration on Tuesday.

Mayor Barry Longland said it gave the shire access to greater levels of funding to repair infrastructure and cover some costs of managing operations during the flood.

"We were very pleased that the minister made the declaration," Cr Longland said.

"The council has estimated costs at about $2.3 million in damage to infrastructure."

Cr Longland said the estimate was only for the council's infrastructure.

"Farmers have lost a lot of crops," he said.

Mr Gallacher declared six local council areas as natural disaster zone on Tuesday, including Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Inverell, Nambucca, Kempsey and the Tweed.

"These areas have experienced significant flooding and the government has swiftly acted to declare these regions natural disasters following advice from local government authorities," Mr Gallacher said.

Minister Gallacher said he was impressed by the emergency services workers who continue to go above and beyond.

This announcement follows the declaration of five councils, including the Bellingen, Byron, Lismore, Kyogle and Richmond Councils, bringing the total to 11.

These declarations provide a number of supportive schemes to assist with the cost of restoration and recovery under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements and the NSW Disaster Assistance Arrangements.

"These declarations make available a range of jointly funded relief measures provided by the NSW and Federal Governments," Mr Gallacher said.