Payments of $25,000 will be made available for every house classified as totally destroyed following Tropical Cyclone Seroja cutting a path of destruction through Mid-West communities last month.
A further $10,000 is also available for every property assessed to have suffered major damage making it uninhabitable, such as loss of roofs.
The amounts apply to both owner/occupiers and tenants of properties at the time the tropical
cyclone struck and all affected properties must be the primary place of residence.
A team on behalf of the Lord Mayor's Distress Relief Fund (The Fund) will travel to the affected region on Monday to support and assist local governments in establishing the application process.
The Tropical Cyclone Seroja Appeal has swelled to $7.2million following a further $500,000 donation from the Lord Mayor's Distress Relief Fund Board today.
A number of major corporations have also added to the total, including; Coles ($155,560), Crown Perth ($150,000) and the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation ($100,000).
Presiding Chair Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas visited the region today, along with Emergency Services Minister Reece Whitby.
Mr Zempilas said the generosity of West Australians and West Australian companies continued to shine through for the people in the Mid-West affected by this disaster.
"We know that this disaster caused catastrophic damage for many West Australians across a massive area," he said.
"We all saw the pictures from Kalbarri and Northampton, but residents from many more towns and farms in the region saw their homes destroyed and damaged.
"Many people in the region still don't have power to the homes yet and are doing it tough.
"While I understand these payments will not replace everything that people have lost, I hope that it will ease some of the financial burden.
"This Fund is unique in that every dollar the WA community has donated will go directly to the people and communities affected by this tropical cyclone.
"As the Presiding Chair of the Fund, I was pleased to announce that the Board had agreed to donate a further $500,000, bringing the Board's total donation to $1 million"
The 13 Local Government Authorities in the region will work with the Fund to assess and review all applications and help disburse money as soon as possible.
Donations to the Tropical Cyclone Seroja Appeal can be made:
- via EFT: BSB: 306-188, Account: 0347404
- over the counter at any BankWest branch or agency to the dedicated appeal account BSB: 306-188, Account: 0347404
- on the phone via credit card on 9461 3886 during normal business hours
- by mail to LMDRF, Tropical Cyclone Seroja Appeal, City of Perth, GPO Box C120, Perth WA 6839
- by credit card at appeals.wa.org.au
