QLD:Six months on, Yasi victims still homeless

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2011
QLD:Six months on, Yasi victims still homeless

By Evan Schwarten

CAIRNS, Aug 2 AAP - Six months after Cyclone Yasi ripped through Queensland's Cassowary
Coast, as many as 1000 residents are still without homes.

Mayor Bill Shannon said that although the region was in recovery mode, many were still
struggling.

"There is a huge amount of work going on, there's tradesmen and utes and people on
roofs, there's action everywhere but there's still many properties that they haven't even
started," he told AAP.

He estimated about 1000 local residents were still without homes and many have left
the region either temporarily or permanently.

Yasi crossed the coast at Mission Beach on February 3, causing widespread damage to
homes between Cairns and Townsville and decimating the local banana industry.

According to state government figures about 4000 buildings were damaged in north and
far north Queensland with more than 900 still waiting to be repaired.

However, the damage to infrastructure has been compounded by the impact on the region's
three major industries: bananas, sugar and tourism.

"We've still got three of our three industries still doing it tough and that puts huge
pressure on our local economy."

Banana crops are starting to recover but the damage to the local environment as well
as the high Australian dollar mean tourism businesses are still struggling, Mr Shannon
said.

Adding to the concern is the fact that the owners of two of the region's major resorts
- Dunk and Bedarra islands, has announced they will sell the properties rather than rebuild
following extensive damage from Yasi.

The announcement will likely mean the region will have to do without two of its biggest
accommodation bases for another year.

"They are extremely important to the local economy and to lose one season is a huge
loss but to lose two seasons will affect the viability of some businesses," Mr Shannon
said.

However, he said the region was recovering fairly well.

"We're about where I expected we'd be six months on."

AAP ews/dep

KEYWORD: YASI

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