Lismore in northern NSW was recently ranked as the second most risky place in Australia, in terms of insurable assets. This is because of its susceptibility to flood.
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This is my story of living in a flood zone for more than 20 years and might hold lessons for others in flood or cyclone prone areas on how being well prepared is vital if we are going to build resilience to more extreme weather events now and in the future.
Unlike the rest of Lismore, North Lismore is not protected by a levee wall.
By necessity, my family has become adept at understanding early flood warnings and have successful preparation plans for flooding.
Our family has committed for some years to the treeing of the wetland opposite our home and have planted strategically around our home to reduce the velocity of flood water and damage from debris.
This is in the absence of government investment in land care projects that assist in flood mitigation.
In 2017, some days before a torrential rain storm, my family were aware of an early warning for a possible major flood. We jumped into action, cleaning up around our home, removing rubbish, purchased food, and checked our emergency kit.
Our home is raised to a one in 100-year flood level, and while it is tempting to use our understorey for additional rooms, the space is only used for storage that is packed for easy lifting. Due to good early preparation we lost no property and suffered minimal damage.
In contrast homes and businesses protected by the levee wall had developed a false sense of security and were not well prepared. The result was considerable trauma and economic loss.
The cost to the community of recovering from flood is significant both psychologically and financially.
The climate science is clear that building levee walls and irrigation ditches will not stop floods entering our towns. If we are to reduce the financial and health impacts of flooding, and build resilient communities, governments must invest significantly in preparation strategies for managing future weather events. This should include raising homes, assisting community to adequately plan and prepare, and rehabilitating our riverbanks.
Climate science leaves us in no doubt that the intensity of floods and drought will increase over the coming years. We must be prepared. Governments must help by investing. There is no time to waste.
Vicki Findlay is a mediator and mother of two young adults
