Community rallies for Yeppoon clean-up

With roofs torn from homes and debris in the streets, Yeppoon residents are wasting no time cleaning up after Cyclone Marcia.

Community rallies for Yeppoon clean-up

Cyclone Marcia aftermath Friday 20th February 2015.

There is still no electricity in Yeppoon, but the community is being driven by people power in the wake of Cyclone Marcia.

An army of volunteers were on Saturday morning helping neighbours and friends move debris, clear trees from roads and clean up.

That was evident nowhere more than on John Street on a hill overlooking the main part of town, where the Smith family's home was torn apart by the category five storm when it devastated the region on Friday.

Leanne Smith, whose daughter and two grandchildren, aged 7 and 11, were evacuated from the home, said she couldn't believe what was left when she returned to survey the damage.

"I was actually really emotionally affected by it," Ms Smith told AAP.

"It's just not something you can really explain to people, it's actually quite devastating."

Miraculously, the family's goldfish survived the storm and was found swimming around in its small tank surrounded by the home's fallen walls.

"It was called Pig, but my grandson Tarn has renamed it Superfish after this," she laughed.

Ms Smith said she was overwhelmed by the amount of support pouring in for her daughter and grandchildren already.

"All these people are here to help," she said, gesturing to a dozen or so people moving debris and packing the family's damaged belongings.

A charity mobile laundry service, Orange Sky Laundry, also pulled up to help the family wash clothes for free.

Co-founder Lucas Patchett said the service, which usually helps homeless people, was also used in disaster situations.

"We drove around a bit, saw some news crews up here and thought it must be a badly affected area, so just turned up and offered to wash and dry people's clothes," he said.


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Source: AAP


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