Residents living in the shadow of the old Bulli mine site are being urged by the SES to remain alert but not alarmed.The call comes just two days after the service issued an evacuation notice for homes in the Slacky Flat area, acting on fears a dam on the site could break its banks if predicted heavy rains eventuated.SES Illawarra regional controller Peter Higgins yesterday urged residents to be aware of the threat but not to panic.
GALLERY: Bulli flood threat VOTE IN POLL: Was the emergency response to the Bulli flood threat appropriate?Mr Higgins said there was no immediate risk of flooding and that weather conditions would need to be particularly severe for the SES to issue another evacuation notice during the weekend."On current conditions - I emphasise current conditions - as forecast by the (Bureau of Meteorology) this afternoon, there is no need for residents to take further actions," he said."Should there be a severe rainfall - we're talking a deluge of around 100mm in two hours or an hour, we're looking at high volumes in a short period - then we would reassess."Although rainfall of between 20mm and 40mm has been predicted for Bulli tomorrow and Sunday, Mr Higgins said the latest information available indicated conditions would not lead to the risk of dam failure.He said the severe weather warning in place on Wednesday had come with a prediction of flash flooding, conditions not expected in the area over the next few days."The Bureau of Meteorology is very much a key organisation that we'll be keeping in touch with and we'll be monitoring weather patterns from down the coast very closely," he said."We'll continue looking at the forecasts made one to four days ahead and continue reviewing the situation."Following the dramatic evacuation of about 130 homes on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Higgins said the SES and representatives from other agencies had been working to streamline evacuation strategies.He said feedback from evacuated residents had largely been positive and most had left the area without issue.Owners of the old Bulli mine site, Brookfield Multiplex, yesterday said they had resumed work to remove the basin embankment.Mr Higgins praised the company for its co-operation and said it had worked diligently to carry out all work and testing required. An assessment of the basin by Brookfield Multiplex in 2007-08 revealed repairs needed to bring the embankment up to scratch were substantial and the owners instead elected to have it removed.A development application to remove the wall was approved by Wollongong City Council in March, 2010.The company expects the complete removal of the basin to be finalised by July.FOR MORE INFORMATION READ FRIDAY'S MERCURY
