A community information hub at the RFS Molonglo Brigade has been activated to provide charging stations, ice for eskies, a skip to dispose food waste and incident information for those still affected by Monday’s storm across the Belconnen region.

This hub is not equipped to provide temporary accommodation and catering.

The hub will be open from 5:00pm-9:00pm tonight and from 11:00am-5:00pm tomorrow, and is located at 27 Drake-Brockman Dr, Higgins, ACT.

Please exercise safe COVID-19 practices when attending this hub by wearing masks, social distancing and checking in with the provided QR code to keep the volunteers, yourself, and the community safe.

The storm hit Canberra on Monday afternoon, 3 January, with reports of trees falling on homes and roads, fallen powerlines, localised flooding, and water damage.

Gungahlin and Belconnen were the hardest hit region with more than 20,000 homes losing power in the regions. Thousands are still without power as of 5 January.

As of 3pm this afternoon, the ACT State Emergency Service (ACTSES) have received 834 requests for assistance.

Crews have responded to and completed 557 of these requests, with 277 jobs still outstanding.

Evoenergy Acting General Manager Alison Davis says the damage to the electricity network is the most severe in the ACT for many years.

“At Evoenergy we’ve seen serious and extreme conditions, but the weather on Monday afternoon has resulted in some of the worst damage to our network on record,” Ms Davis said.

“We’re working closely with the ACT Emergency Services Agency to prioritise the assessments of damage and conduct repairs. We’re coordinating efforts to ensure we’re as efficient and effective as possible as we work through the high volume of incidents.

More storms forecast

At this time, the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a possibility of severe storms on Thursday and Friday this week.

ACTSES are saying now is the time to prepare your home before further storm activity commences later in the week.

They advise you to:

• Move your car under cover or away from trees.
• Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
• Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
• Create or update your survival plan.
• Stay indoors away from windows and keep children and pets indoors as well.
• Remember to never drive, walk or ride through floodwater.

For assistance in a storm or flood call the ACTSES on 132 500, in a life-threatening emergency call Triple Zero (000).

Visit www.esa.act.gov.au/be-emergency-ready and www.bom.gov.au for more information.

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