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Interstate crews help SES with storm backlog

Wednesday March 10, 2010 - 11:22 EDT

SES received over 7,500 calls for help. - ABC

Shepparton's main street was under water on Sunday. - ABC

The State Emergency Service (SES) is urging people with storm-damaged properties to be patient, as it continues to deal with an enormous backlog of calls.

An extra 70 crew members from Western Australia and Tasmania, joined SES units in Melbourne this morning, to assist in the clean-up from the weekend's storms.

They are still working their way through an estimated 850 calls.

All up the SES received more than 7,500 calls for help.

The SES state duty officer, Tim Wiebusch says it could take several more days to reach those still in need.

"It's certainly one of the biggest storm events that SES has ever had to deal with in Victoria," he said.

Up to five houses in Shepparton, in central Victoria have been damaged beyond repair in the storms and will be demolished.

The homes are among about 20 houses that have been rendered uninhabitable by the wild weather.

Sue Sheldrick, from the SES says about 80 residents attended last night's recovery meeting.

She says it was an emotional meeting.

"We had people with tears in their eyes as they told their story and it was very graphic and moving," she said.

"The community told us that in lots of cases, those hard hit communities, particularly the neighbours, pulled together and they had neighbours that they'd never really spoken to before are out helping clean up around their property."

"We're hopeful that, at this stage, with the additional crews that we've received from interstate along with local crews, that we will have this cleaned up across the weekend."

- ABC

© ABC 2010