For now, it seems the storms have passed and it’s time to plan the recovery efforts for the City of Logan.

Logan City Council are fine-tuning their roadmap to recovery while continuing to support thousands of residents battered by the elements over the holiday season.

The recovery is expected to take weeks rather than days. In some of the worst-impacted areas of the city’s southwest, it could take months.

50 Australia Defence Force (ADF) personnel assigned to the South East Queensland region from later this week will also assist in the Logan recovery.

Energex reports around 1800 customers are still without power across the City of Logan. Work is continuing to reconnect homes to the network or generated power.

Logan SES received more than 100 calls in the last 24 hours with only 10 jobs outstanding this morning.

Forecast moderate and minor flood peaks for the Logan and Albert river catchments have now passed. Both rivers and major tributaries, including Slacks Creek, Scrubby Creek and the Upper Oxley Creek, remain swollen and some roads are still impacted.

Council’s Local Recovery Group (LRG) has been meeting to finalise the phased recovery plan as it progressively takes the lead in coming days from the disaster response effort.

The LRG will work closely with the Australian and Queensland governments, emergency services and other agencies to facilitate social and financial support for those impacted by storms and floods as well as delivering a massive clean-up program that includes infrastructure repairs and inspections.

Matters being actioned by Council include:

• Ensuring all impacted residents, businesses and farmers are made aware of, and can access, all available hardship funding and support.
• How to best deploy Logan’s allocation from the 50 Australia Defence Force (ADF) personnel assigned to the South East Queensland region from later this week.
• How to best utilise manpower and machinery resources offered by Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). DRA staff, who will carry identification and will not ask for any kind of payment, are authorised to enter private property to assist in clean-ups. ADF personnel focus on critical infrastructure in public spaces.
• Continuing the extensive program of clearing fallen trees and vegetation on roads and Council-managed parks and reserves. A staged approach is being used. Initial works are focussed on providing access to blocked areas as soon as possible. Some vegetation is being removed but crews are also pushing debris to the roadside to open blocked lanes. Crews will return at a later date to remove or chip the fallen vegetation left behind.
• How to integrate planned kerbside clean-ups in some south-western suburbs over coming weeks into the overall storm/flood clean-up.

Mayor Darren Power urged everyone to be understanding and patient.

“We have seen from the strong turnout at the Jimboomba Community Hub in recent days that there are many people facing very challenging times, and we are doing everything we can to help,” Councillor Power said.

“With the extra resources and manpower arriving to support Council teams and services, we can get the recovery moving faster and get as many people back in their homes as soon as possible.

“It is going to take time and I urge anyone who is doing it tough, either financially or mentally as a result of the events of the last fortnight, please reach out as assistance and support is available.”