Downpour blamed for retaining wall's collapse

Aug. 15, 2013, midnight

TORRENTIAL rain caused a retaining wall to collapse at a Cooee property Tuesday night.

"The yard is a mess," property owner Jess Ruffin said.

A wild rush of water just missed Miss Ruffin's backyard yesterday morning.

Rising water levels in the creek at the back of the property caused Miss Ruffin's next-door neighbour's yard to become flooded.

"Luckily after the floods in 2011 the council came and built up our wall, our backyard wasn't far off from flooding though," she said.

"Last night I was up with the baby and the rain was so loud ... I had trouble opening the doors because of the wind."

State Emergency Service crews, police and council staff members responded to 12 call-outs across the North-West Coast during Tuesday evening and early Wednesday morning.

SES North-West regional manager Wayne Richards said most calls related to roof damage due to the high winds, water damage from leaking roofs and blocked and overflowing drains causing inundation or threats to residences.

"Burnie volunteers were working on a landslide which occurred on a private property at Ocean Vista overnight," he said.

Originally posted here:
Downpour blamed for retaining wall's collapse