Qld: Many still without power in north Queensland

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2006
Qld: Many still without power in north Queensland

BRISBANE, April 14 AAP - Scores of far north Queensland homes and businesses are still
without power almost a month after Cyclone Larry blacked out the region.

Ergon Energy crews are attempting to reconnect about 200 homes and businesses today
and over the weekend, despite having promised to have power restored by Easter.

The supplier today said it had cost $30 million to reconnect power wiped from 135,000
of its customers during the devastating category-five cyclone on March 20.

Ergon Energy spokesman Tony Murray said most homes and businesses still blacked out
were too unsafe to have electricity restored.

"They are mostly homes and businesses that need to be demolished or extensively rebuilt,"

Mr Murray said.

"Where it has been safe to reconnect supply, Ergon has done so and our crews are working
overtime over Easter to ensure customers without power will have it as soon as possible."

Most homes and businesses without electricity are in remote parts of the Atherton Tablelands,
west of Innisfail.

It also was announced today that portable homes will be transported to the region to
help families still struggling to find accommodation.

Recovery task force leader General Peter Cosgrove said he had asked the Queensland
government for 50 kit homes for a "handful of families" in Innisfail and surrounding areas
still without temporary housing.

"(They) are on the way up here and will be in place with the agreement of the council
on sites around Johnstone Shire," he told ABC Radio.

General Cosgrove said the homes would be built in Brisbane and transported north by
truck and train.

"These things won't have the amenities of a house but you'd probably say 20 or 30 families
could be accommodated if you work on the nuclear family," he said.

Despite a mammoth mop up operation, a lot of work still remains to be done, with authorities
aiming to rebuild houses before the next wet season in nine months time.

"The last thing I want is our residents living under tarps in the next wet season,"

Johnstone Shire Mayor Neil Clarke told ABC Radio.

General Cosgrove said the opening of a Building Coordination Centre in Innisfail yesterday
would bring together insurers, builders and suppliers to provide a one-stop shop to help
residents speed up the rebuilding of their homes.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said the centre was the best way the government could
prevent profiteering.

Almost a month after the category five cyclone hit far north Queensland, the streets
of Innisfail have been cleaned and most businesses are open.

But more than 10,600 tarps are hanging on roofs while broken windows remain boarded
up with anything from corrugated iron to plastic sheeting.

AAP lc/sco/sjk/sco/nf

KEYWORD: LARRY NIGHTLEAD

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