Gemfields residents begin clean up after major flooding ravages low-lying areas
ABCA handful of Gemfields prospectors woke in fright and scrambled from their homes in the freezing hours before dawn, as a tide of floodwater inundated parts of the Central Highlands on Wednesday. Key points: A brand new warning system installed for flood emergencies did not activate on Wednesday morning Residents say had the sirens sounded, they may have had more time to evacuate The Central Highlands mayor says council will work on improving the system Local disaster Management coordinator Glenn Bell said it was the biggest flood the region had seen in about a decade. Central Highlands Mayor Kerry Hayes said sirens from local emergency crews alerted people — as well as emergency texts — but the authority would work "to get it right" with the flood sirens. "The place is like a swamp, there's mud everywhere — stinking horrible mud that's come up from the creek," Mr Nesbitt said. "A lot of people community just check on each other — I think we'll be ok." Central Highlands Mayor Kerry Hayes visited the Gemfields on Wednesday to inspect the damage and meet residents.
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