THE lashings of wild weather over the last 12 months have been especially bad on the Mid-North Coast, with Port Macquarie revealed as the most storm affected town in the state.
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New research shows Port Macquarie ranked first in NSW for storm damage from last October to September.
The research, released last week by NRMA Insurance, also found the Mid-North Coast was the hardest hit region in NSW for storms.
A spokesman said 16 per cent of storm damage home insurance claims in NSW come from the region.
While Port Macquarie was the hardest hit, the twin towns of Boambee and Toormina, near Coffs Harbour, were the second and third most affected towns in the state.
The NSW State Emergency Service spent more than 90,000 hours responding to more than 12,000 call-outs in the last year.
And even though StormSafe Week may have finished on Tuesday, the SES is urging people to be proactive in protecting their homes.
“Most of the damage we saw was from trees crashing down on homes and vehicles as well as leaking and damaged roofs,” SES Mid North Coast Acting Region Controller Tony Day said.
Many of the call-outs were preventable, so the SES is offering simple preparation methods online at www.seshomeemergencyplan.com.au.
Insurers are also encouraging people to prepare their homes.
“Our message to families this storm season is doing a little really can save a lot,” NRMA’s Lee McDougall said. “Clearing your gutters, trimming overhanging branches and checking that your home and contents insurance is up to date are all simple steps people can take to prepare for upcoming storm season.
Other tips include parking away from trees or power lines, securing loose yard items and cleaning gutters and downpipes.
Visit www.stormsafe.com.au for information, and dial the State Emergency Service on 132 500 for help during storms and floods.