INSULTING: Many Yenda residents were not given much time to evacuate before the water hit the village in the March flood. Residents say they are insulted by a recent survey asking them to answer questions about the event.
ANGRY Yenda residents have refused to respond to an SES survey that asked how quickly water rose in their homes during the March floods.
The survey has added insult to injury for locals who were evacuated a full 24 hours before the water hit.
Resident Kylie Phelps threw her survey in the bin immediately.
"They were really stupid questions like drawing pictures of where the water was flowing how can I answer that when I was evacuated?" she asked.
"I was so cranky when I saw it. The whole operation was a balls-up from the beginning and this was the final insult. How dare they send us this survey when they know we weren't even there?"
Residents had little time to save their possessions in the March flood event, with many given 20 minutes to gather what they could and leave the village.
No one was home to see the water come in and residents were still barred from their homes when the water subsided.
The survey asked what time the highest water level was reached, how long floodwater stayed on the property and whether waves or surges occurred.
The SES was heavily criticised for evacuating Yenda early but has defended itself by saying it took the safest option in an unprecedented situation.
Yenda Place resident Coral Mott said she was offended by the survey, saying it showed a lack of compassion for flood victims.
She is yet to return to her home, more than seven months after the disaster.
"It was like the survey was pre-written for any flood - it had no association to us at all," Mrs Mott said.
"We couldn't answer most of the questions so most of us have never bothered to fill it out. A lot of it was associated with when and where. None of us know any of that."
SES community engagement officer Mark Wetteland said the survey had been carried out by consultants and his organisation had no part in compiling the questions.
"I haven't even seen a copy but we do urge people to use it to give us as much information as they can so we can use that knowledge next time," Mr Wetteland said.
"We've had people sending in photos or disks with photos - the more information the better."
