HEAVY rainfalls forecasted late last week prompted Mornington Peninsula Shire to evacuate a house near The Esplanade, Mount Martha.
This followed a warning to shire’s emergency management team that up to 50 millimetres of rain could fall from Wednesday “increasing concerns of a further [soil] collapse”.
The Esplanade remained closed at the start of the last week following a landslide between Bradford and Ellerina Roads on Tuesday 29 September (“Landslip closes Esplanade” The News 6/10/20).
“While there was no concern for the houses above the slip, there is concern a further collapse will cut access and utility services,” the shire said in a statement.
“As a result the municipal building surveyor determined it necessary to evacuate one home Wednesday afternoon and arrange alternative accommodation for the occupants.”
The road was briefly opened last week after being cleared of an estimated 30 tonnes of soil and rock, with the shire planning to formally open it yesterday, Monday 12 October.
“Geotechnical assessments of the slip area are under way to assess the cause and risk to road users of both the Esplanade and the associated service road,” the shire said.
“The same assessments will form the basis of plans for long-term rectification works which are estimated to take several months.”
Further debris which slid down last week was contained in a bund constructed by VicRoads and did not reach the Esplanade.
The landslides exposed Telstra lines running under the service road and the company was on site, Thursday 8 October, to assess the damage. No other services were exposed or impacted, they said.
Workers set up a platform for a long reach excavator to enable works to continue, Friday 9 October.
The service road remains closed and the road will be inspected daily. Details: visit mornpen.vic.gov.au/landsliderepairs
First published in the Mornington News – 13 October 2020
