Arabic version: مقيمة في أليس سبرينغز ترحب بدعم التعافي من العاصفة

According to ABC News, Alice Springs resident Brooke Klarenbeek has welcomed joint disaster recovery funding from the Northern Territory and federal governments after a severe storm destroyed much of her family home on Monday afternoon.

Klarenbeek said the roof of her home of 11 years tore away during the storm with a sound “like an explosion had just gone off”. Roofing debris landed in a neighbour’s yard, while much of the ceiling collapsed onto the house’s contents. She said about 75 per cent of the home was affected and that she sheltered in a doorway as hail fell outside.

The storm lasted about half an hour and brought winds of 96 kilometres per hour and hail. It damaged homes, cars and fences, tore down trees and powerlines, and cut electricity to 9,000 homes in a town with about 12,000 electricity customers. As of Wednesday morning, 2,000 homes remained without power.

The Insurance Council of Australia said 400 claims had been lodged in Alice Springs since the weather event. Klarenbeek said she did not know where her family would stay or how long repairs would take, and hoped her insurance would cover the work. She has moved belongings to a safe place in case of further wet weather.

Under the recovery assistance, eligible households can receive a one-off payment of up to $16,901 for essential structural repairs where insurance does not meet costs. The announcement also includes freight subsidies for primary producers, asset assistance grants for non-profit organisations and support for local councils. Klarenbeek said the immediate assistance would help people who could not afford urgent repairs while waiting for insurance.