Archive: 16 posts

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http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BUGbtxwww5s/TS1xeQuwIBI/AAAAAAAAAcA/IkmtMcL0aV4/s1600/5332204099_3a15ed91e6_z.jpg A rural town submerged by the broken banks of the Fitzroy River. Like most of Australia, my family have been watching the flood disaster unfold across Queensland and part of northern New South Wales, with utter disbelief. To quote a friend of mine on facebook: To put the area flooded in Queensland in perspective - England is 58k sq miles, Texas is 267k sq miles, Florida is 58K sq miles, Queensland is 667k sq miles of which three quarters is flooded = thats unbelievable! It seems that Australia is incapable of seeing in the new year without some kind of natural disaster. That's not to say that we've been without our bushfire danger so far this year - there have been rampant wildfires in Western Australia, which apparently are under control now - but it seems that this magnificent land exacts a devastating toll from its inhabitants on a reasonably regular basis. So far 13 dead and 76 missing. Many more deaths expected to be discovered as flood waters recede and uncover submerged cars with passengers who had unwisely tried to traverse flooded roads. Rural cities like Toowoomba were pummeled by 8 metre walls of water and homes were ripped off their stumps and carried down river. Smaller towns along the Lockyer Valley were completely devastated and families are still missing. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BUGbtxwww5s/TS1yYY-807I/AAAAAAAAAcE/JZ5lJ_Dr7v8/s1600/flooding-in-queensland-australia-2011.jpg The video footage has been jaw-dropping, seeing horses, cars, concrete bridges, pontoons with boats attatched, rushing down swollen waterways and down suburban streets! The Brisbane River has broken its bounds as well and the CBD and low-lying suburbs have been inundated with water. Some homes have only their roofs visible. There was a devastating flood back in 1974, and yesterday's peak was slightly less than back in '74, but Brisbane and it's suburbs and outlying towns are so much more densely populated than back then. This is devastation and a clean up of massive proportions - even worse that that of bushfires which usually consume and destroy whatever they affect. All these homes remain and will need to be hosed out, thoroughly checked before re-habitation, or, if necessary, demolished. That's not to mention the problems with stagnant water and the diseases that come of that, plus all the snakes in the water. They have estimated that the damage and the aftermath of this is equal to, if not slightly greater than, that of Hurricane Katrina. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BUGbtxwww5s/TS44eLKfqLI/AAAAAAAAAcI/w3JVgkaJX7I/s1600/ab14f_664170-queensland-floods.jpg Despite all of this, and the obvious horror and grief, the spirit of the Australian people has come to the fore as it always seems to do. The humanity and generosity of people never ceases to amaze me. People are making the best of a very bad situation and lending helping hands where required, helping neighbours and local shop owners to relocate furniture and goods to higher ground, or to sandbag (an effort which proved futile). Some have risked their lives to save neighbours and complete strangers who have been isolated by raging flood waters, sometimes with tragic results. I saw a man interviewed this morning who waded into dangerous rapids to save a mother and her two sons who were clinging to a street sign for dear life. Sadly, the mother and her 13 year old son were swept away before he could get to them, but the other son has survived. But as people keep saying, "we will get by". Here are some blokes making the best of it in Rockhampton - one of the first rural cities to be affected by flooding. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BUGbtxwww5s/TS47FJP1cuI/AAAAAAAAAcM/-Y5d-nVVkvU/s1600/654581-rockhampton-floods.jpg It's actually too difficult to comprehend the recovery process... if New Orleans is any indication, it's not likely to be 100% successful, but I'm sure that everyone will do the best they can, one way or another. At the moment all we in the southern states can do is send money, which of course we're doing. My friend Kel, on her facebook profile, quoted part of Dame Dorothea McKellar's iconic poem 'My Country' - which had been running through my mind regularly over the last decade as we have been under severe drought. I took courage in the words that, first published over 100 years ago, told of the elements that ravage our country on a seemingly cyclical basis - hoping that this was somehow a normal part of Australia's natural rotation, and not a cataclysmic descent into severe global warming. My Country The love of field and coppice, Of green and shaded lanes. Of ordered woods and gardens Is running in your veins, Strong love of grey-blue distance Brown streams and soft dim skies I know but cannot share it, My love is otherwise. I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, Her beauty and her terror - The wide brown land for me! A stark white ring-barked forest All tragic to the moon, The sapphire-misted mountains, The hot gold hush of noon. Green tangle of the brushes, Where lithe lianas coil, And orchids deck the tree-tops And ferns the warm dark soil. Core of my heart, my country! Her pitiless blue sky, When sick at heart, around us, We see the cattle die - But then the grey clouds gather, And we can bless again The drumming of an army, The steady, soaking rain. Core of my heart, my country! Land of the Rainbow Gold, For flood and fire and famine, She pays us back threefold - Over the thirsty paddocks, Watch, after many days, The filmy veil of greenness That thickens as we gaze. An opal-hearted country, A wilful, lavish land - All you who have not loved her, You will not understand - Though earth holds many splendours, Wherever I may die, I know to what brown country My homing thoughts will fly.

2011-01-13 00:13:00 Author: BabyDoll1970 Posts: 1567

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Looks like after Katrina. The guys sitting around after the disaster drinking beers look like cajuns after a hurricane. lol Hope you weren't personally effected by this.

2011-01-13 00:23:00 Author: Bremnen Posts: 1800

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Under normal circumstances I'd find naming a city Toowoomba amusing. but for now, I'll just offer my best wishes to everyone affected.

2011-01-13 00:25:00 Author: Unknown User

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http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BUGbtxwww5s/TS47FJP1cuI/AAAAAAAAAcM/-Y5d-nVVkvU/s1600/654581-rockhampton-floods.jpg This photo really sums up the Australians attitude to things. I love you guys!

2011-01-13 00:32:00 Author: Mr_T-Shirt Posts: 1477

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Lol, thanks guys, and no, we're not personally affected. I have friends who've been in the middle of it all, but they're all safe, thank goodness. @Alex - it's an Aboriginal name. And I assure you there are much more smirk-worthy names than that. I appreciate your restraint.

2011-01-13 00:36:00 Author: BabyDoll1970 Posts: 1567

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Also, I think Australia has to be one of the most geographically bullied country in the world. Where are these floods when the bush fires are reeking havoc?! I feel so bad for you guys. Good to hear You and your friends are ok though BabyDoll.

2011-01-13 00:51:00 Author: Mr_T-Shirt Posts: 1477

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I've been through flooding all you can do really is save what you can then just get on as best you can until the water goes down and you can start the lengthy process of drying the house out and getting all the damaged stuff removed and disposed of.

2011-01-13 01:00:00 Author: Rabid-Coot Posts: 6728

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I've been through flooding all you can do really is save what you can then just get on as best you can until the water goes down and you can start the lengthy process of drying the house out and getting all the damaged stuff removed and disposed of. Sorta like wildfires... only, once the fire hits, you don't get anything back. Prayers for you Aussies. Hope this won't last too long.

2011-01-13 01:02:00 Author: Outlaw-Jack Posts: 5757

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I've got family over in Melbourne - but they're not affected or anything. Sorry to all those involved. I find it a little ironic that there have been draughts over Australia for a very long time, and now there's flooding. It seems like one extreme to the next...

2011-01-13 01:12:00 Author: standby250 Posts: 1113

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I find it incredible that a town can flood from it's own rain. Thankfully Townsville isn't prone to flooding, if anything we could use a bit of rain. I can only hope for the best for the people who are still missing.

2011-01-13 01:21:00 Author: SR20DETDOG Posts: 2431

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I find it incredible that a town can flood from it's own rain. Thankfully Townsville isn't prone to flooding, if anything we could use a bit of rain. I can only hope for the best for the people who are still missing. I was wondering if you were affected, Dog. Glad to hear you're okay. I've got a good friend relocating to Townsville in a couple of weeks and was a bit worried about her.

2011-01-13 01:35:00 Author: BabyDoll1970 Posts: 1567

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I love how the guys are still just chilling, drinking beer as if nothing happened. They must be a pretty happy bunch, no? Hope you stay safe!

2011-01-13 01:37:00 Author: dragonember Posts: 607

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Yeah i have seen this all over the news. I feel sorry for them first they don't have enough water then they have too much... Hopefully the situation gets resolved soon :O

2011-01-13 01:38:00 Author: rseah Posts: 2701

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I was wondering if you were affected, Dog. Glad to hear you're okay. Thank you I'm still not used to having people I've met via the internet thinking of me, but it's nice. I've got a good friend relocating to Townsville in a couple of weeks and was a bit worried about her. Absolutely no need to worry I live roughly 500m away from our main river and we're perfectly safe. AFAIK there are no rivers connected to our dam so it's only the rain from the mountains that have the possibility to produce a flood, even then, after weeks of heavy rain the river will only rise half a meter or so.

2011-01-13 02:12:00 Author: SR20DETDOG Posts: 2431

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Australia has the worst luck. Wildfires in Perth, Flooding in Queensland. My neighbour was in Rockhampton and only just got home! So, from across the ditch, my condolences to you.

2011-01-13 02:58:00 Author: tomodon246 Posts: 624

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I love how the guys are still just chilling, drinking beer as if nothing happened. They must be a pretty happy bunch, no? Hope you stay safe! I'm assuming they've been through stuff like this before, it's the same with hurricanes. Most people where I live don't leave for hurricanes, and after the worst of it's gone everyone goes outside and sits there drinking beer. For us, we go through it multiple times almost every year. Theres flooding, winds, massive damage, but in the end, what are you gonna do? Instead of worrying about how you have to rebuild, you relax and have a drink. Laissez Faire (Let it be/Take it easy)

2011-01-13 03:25:00 Author: Bremnen Posts: 1800

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