Flood victims may need to be relocated

Residents whose homes were flooded in Adelaide’s north-western suburbs yesterday could be forced to relocate as insurers assess the damage.

About a dozen homes on Old Port Rd at Queenstown were flooded following a downpour which turned their roads into rivers.

Now the water has subsided, insurance assessors have been to the homes and the news isn’t good for residents – with some being told they could not have their power restored.

Locals believe a nearby wetlands project is to blame.

Ironically, it is designed to waterproof the area.

The Charles Sturt Council and project contractor are investigating, but no one will say who is responsible or who will foot the cleaning bill.

“I can’t comment on who’s going to take up the liability until we know what actually caused the flooding,” Mayor Kirsten Alexander said.

The Council hopes to have a preliminary report within 24 hours, but won’t rule out the possibility some residents will have to pay for the clean-up, with the mayor saying residents would ‘need to contact their insurers’.

Most of the victims are Housing SA residents, and insurers are deciding who can stay and who needs to be relocated.

“I won’t be able to stay here, what can I do, there’s no power – can’t eat or drink,” victim Gwenda Thomas told 7News.