THOUGH the water may have subsided and much of the mud and debris cleaned up, impacts of last year\u2019s flooding in Rochester are still being felt.<\/p>\n
Many homes and businesses were affected by floodwater to varying degrees with a large number of those still uninhabited or sitting vacant.<\/p>\n
Staff from the Rochester Community House have taken on a role in supporting the community during the recovery, just as they did after the 2011 floods.<\/p>\n
RCH co-ordinator Amanda Logie said the town is still struggling.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur community is broken, the houses are broken, the people are broken,\u201d she said. \u201cThere is no sugar coating it, people are really struggling and it\u2019s heartbreaking really.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople really aren\u2019t feeling very supported.\u201d<\/p>\n
Insurance companies are largely to blame for that feeling of lack of support said Ms Logie.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are having a lot of issues with their insurance,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is the occasional good news story but there is a lot of anger in the community because a lot of the insurance companies aren\u2019t playing the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Logie said those who aren\u2019t in Rochester don\u2019t see the lasting impact the floods have had, and the event is quickly forgotten, she wants people to remember them, because their help is still needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo not forget us, this is a long, long process,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have people who aren\u2019t going to be in their houses for six months, 12 months or two years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to need support, we are going to need people on the ground, we are going to need skilled volunteers as well as normal volunteers to come help us at certain times.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about not forgetting the Rochester community and keeping in mind that we are going to need help for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Logie said people who do come from out of town should talk a lasting look at the ongoing challenges of the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust drive slowly and have a look at the houses,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can see straight through them into the backyard, because they have no walls, they are just shells.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings can look fine from the outside, but they are far from fine, and the people here are exactly the same.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THOUGH the water may have subsided and much of the mud and debris cleaned up, impacts of last year\u2019s flooding in Rochester are still being felt. Many homes and businesses were affected by floodwater to varying degrees with a large number of those still uninhabited or sitting vacant. Staff from the Rochester Community House have […]<\/p>\n