A Hazmat Emergency Unfolds in Western Australia’s South-West

2As the residents of Bunbury, Western Australia, began to survey the damage caused by a devastating tornado, they were met with a surprise threat: asbestos scattered throughout the streets. The situation has prompted a “hazmat emergency” response, with specialist crews scrambling to contain any possible exposure.

The tornado, which tore through the town on Friday afternoon, left over 100 homes damaged, with roofs ripped off, walls collapsed, and debris sucked into the sky. Despite the destruction, miraculously, no one was seriously injured. However, seven homes have been declared uninhabitable, and seven more were severely affected, with that number expected to rise as crews finish assessing the damage.

Residents living in three blocks have been warned to stay away from their homes due to asbestos contamination fears near the Hay Park sports complex. The Western Australian premier, Roger Cook, described the situation as “a lot of asbestos in the streets.” Specialist teams are working tirelessly to clean up the hazardous substance, with exclusion zones in place to ensure public safety.

As authorities focus on containing the hazmat emergency, they are now turning their attention to recovery efforts. Specialist contractors have been hired to sweep affected streets, aiming to reduce the size of the exclusion zone. Acting Commissioner Melissa Pexton of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services expressed optimism that the cleanup efforts will be finalized within the next two to three days.

In the meantime, emergency accommodation has been arranged for nine people, and a community meeting was held on Sunday afternoon to discuss necessary services. The state government has allocated emergency payments of up to $4,000 for those living in uninhabitable or severely damaged homes, as well as up to $2,000 for affected residents to cover essential needs. Over 500 Western Power customers remain without electricity, with those impacted by outages longer than 12 hours eligible for $120 payments to replace spoiled food and other items.

The damage bill is estimated to be “in the millions of dollars,” according to Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson. Despite the destruction, there has been no evidence of looting, particularly in the exclusion zone. The town’s high school and primary school have been declared safe and will reopen on Monday.