TILBURY residents and others from across the borough continue to rally around the families from 64 homes who were evacuated from a residential tower block after major flooding.

The residents of Brisbane House in Tilbury are still in emergency accommodation in hotels across the borough or with family and friends and there is no date set yet for a possible return, with many of the flats having sustained severe damage.

Water was pouring through electric power sockets, through walls and there were large areas several inches deep in water as the tank contents emptied, while still being filled by pumps until the fire service cut off the supply.

That meant neighbouring Tasmania House and Freemantle house were also without water for a considerable time, though supplies have been restored and families there were able to stay in their homes.

A Christmas return? Families don't known when they will be back and may have to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation. One family had already decorated their flat.

The community of Tilbury immediately rallied to the cause the Tilbury Community centre on Civic Square became the support centre.

Within a couple of hours of the emergency starting, its manager Danny Pyman-Brickwood had the community centre's doors open to provide shelter and volunteers came in to offer refreshments. Thurrock Council offers used the centre as a place on contact from where they arranged temporary accommodation in local hotels.

The centre has remained open in support of the families since and has been receiving donations of all sorts of supplies including clothing, bedding, toys, toiletries and personal care and sanitary items.

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It continues to accept donations but cannot take any more until after this evening.

It will be open tomorrow (Wednesday, 19 November) but then all the items will need to be moved to another location because of booked functions at the community centre.

Danny is talking to people offering a number of options and will be updating residents when something is confirmed.

The scene around Brisbane House remains very quiet with little sign of any work being done. A few vans are in the car park, but there appears little activity on scene and no date has been set for when people might be able to return, though some have been allowed in to take out personal possession.

Thurrock Council has remained tight-lipped about ongoing issues. It's last public communication on the state of affairs at Brisbane House was on Thursday, 13 November (reported here).

There is little sign of activity at Brisbane House, though three vans were parked close by at mid-morning.

Neither the council, nor social housing portfolio holder Cllr Mark Hurrell has responded to subsequent Thurrock Nub News requests for information.