Residents of a town on the coast of New South Wales, Australia are reeling from the damage left behind after a tornado this past weekend, and authorities are warning that asbestos contamination could be a serious post-storm problem, considering the amount of asbestos-containing debris that’s now scattered about the streets of Kiama.

According to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Company, a tornado cut a path through this tiny seaside town on Sunday morning, totally obliterating at least 2 homes and damaging some 170 more. During the destruction, what was described as a “significant amount of asbestos sheeting” was scattered throughout the town, broken and in friable condition.

Authorities note that the asbestos was not a concern while it was wet, but now that the weather is clearing and once again becoming dry and sunny, residents need to be concerned about the fact that the material is damaged and could now release tiny, dangerous fibers into the air, where locals and clean-up crews could inhale them. Asbestos exposure can lead to cases of mesothelioma or other respiratory diseases.

State Emergency Service (SES) deputy commissioner Tara McCarthy says it is not yet known how many homes will be evacuated. “We’re working with Fire and Rescue, and on their advice and they’ve cordoned off a number of areas and they’re looking at implementing local evacuations,” she said during a press conference.

Others compared the destruction to tornadoes in the U.S. Midwest. “Flying over and seeing the roof of the fire station missing, seeing from the air mature trees that look as though they’ve been through a mix-master and seeing blue tarpaulins along a defined corridor, this is the sort of event that you associate with a tornado going through parts of America,” said New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell. “Not what we normally see along our coastline.”

Asbestos use has traditionally been extensive in Australia, which has the highest incidence of mesothelioma on the planet. Americans have faced similar concerns after storms like Hurricane Katrina and the recent Hurricane Sandy, but to a lesser extent.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.