Disaster relief heading to St Helens as flood clean-up continues

Over 200 mm of rainfall hit the region this week, flooding parts of St Helens and Scamander and surrounding areas, closing roads and schools and cutting power and communications.

Mr Rockliff said it was "clear that the deluge has had a significant impact, particularly upon local infrastructure".

"By activating these emergency arrangements, assistance can be provided to the local council for essential infrastructure repair."

He also said the government would seek to access federal disaster assistance through the Disaster Funding Recovery Arrangements.

Mr Rockliff made the decision to activate disaster relief following a conversation with Break O'Day Council Mayor Mick Tucker.

On Thursday, chair of the St Helens School Association Nick Martin said the school would remain closed at least until next week, after several classrooms were inundated.

He also said school administrators were waiting on an assessment from TasNetworks, after the power box became submerged under several feet of water.

He earlier this week said the Department of Education had not acted on pleas for funding to fix drainage issues at the school.

The Department of Education responded saying that every school had an opportunity to seek funding annual through the capital submissions process.