Vic: Tales of tragedy from after the deluge

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2003
Vic: Tales of tragedy from after the deluge

By Mariza Fiamengo

MELBOURNE, Dec 3 AAP - Traders shed tears today as they surveyed the damage to a Melbourne
shopping strip battered by a savage storm overnight.

Many shopfront windows were shattered, stores closed, carpets soaked and destroyed
stock scattered on the floor and on the road in Station Street at Fairfield this morning.

The sun shone brightly over the shopping strip which had been closed for emergency
crews to mop up the scene.

However, the mood was sombre as some traders shed tears openly and curious residents
wore shell-shocked faces as they inspected the damage.

Most stores were shut and few escaped without some form of damage from the storm.

The Flower Temple was one of the worst hit stores, with mud leaving a metre-high mark
on its walls, demonstrating the height water levels reached.

Mud carpeted the floor and destroyed flowers were thrown from shelves and displays.

Flower Temple manager Elizabeth Ricci fought back tears as she surveyed the damage
she put in the tens-of-thousands of dollars.

"It is devastating - this is our crucial time of the year, being Christmas trade," she said.

"It's like a cyclone has hit."

She estimated that 70 per cent of her stock was ruined and her store would be closed for days.

Station Street newsagency owner Christine Spiteri suffered a double blow with her car
destroyed by the storms and her store facing a damage bill in the hundreds-of-thousands
of dollars.

"Neighbours called to tell us our car was under water," she said.

"And then we put down the phone and the security company said the alarm went off at our store."

When they reached Station Street after 1am (AEDT) they were greeted by chest-high water
on the road and had to wait two hours before they could make their way to their store.

"There's not one centimetre of the store that is not ruined," she said.

"It was just a nightmare. It looks like a tidal wave hit it."

Fairfield resident Adele Flere (Flere) was one of the shell-shocked people walking
down the street this morning.

"It's kind of like a war scene," she said.

"I feel quite emotional about it... seeing how it's upset them (store owners) so much."

Northcote resident Catherine Hannon described the area as a close-knit community where
many people knew their store owners by name.

"I just feel devastated," she said.

"It's the local shopping strip and you get to know the traders and people are really friendly.

"It's not good for traders as they are gearing up for Christmas, a lot of them are
small traders."

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