AUSTRALIA HIT BY FLOODS - AN INLAND TSUNAMI

[nancyk58]

AUSTRALIA IS HIT BY FLOODS - AN INLAND TSUNAMI

 

UPDATE:

 

The flooding is the most widespread and severe in at least 100 years, covering an area larger than FRANCE and GERMANY COMBINED!

 

Thousands of people have had to flee their homes and huge amounts of wildlife have lost critical habitat.

 

The floods prompted officials to order the evacuation of two million people in QUEENSLAND's capital of BRISBANE.

 

A flash flood caused a tsunami-like wave to crash into the city of TOOWOOMBA, tossing cars and destroying homes. Sadly, many people have perished, and the death toll is likely to rise as the rescue and relief efforts continue.

 

 

AUSTRALIA (both northern and southern part):

 

20.1.11: Australian death toll 33 including 6 children.

06.2.11: Death toll is now 35.

 

12 missing since powerful flood swept the Lockyer Valley in Queensland.

 

First flood victim in New South Wales: A 3-year-old boy.

 

 

UPDATE ON 23.1.11:

 

From UK World News:

 

AUSTRALIA FLOODS: 'INLAND SEA' MOVES ACROSS VICTORIA

 

A HUGE LAKE caused by the recent floods in Australia is THREATENING to swamp more towns in the south-eastern state of VICTORIA.

 

The lake, which has been described as a massive inland sea, covers an area about 90km long and 40km wide.

 

More than SEVENTY COMMUNITIES - 75 - seventy communities have already been affected, with thousands of people evacuated to higher ground.

 

Parts of the south-eastern Australian state of VICTORIA are braced for the approach of a giant lake of floodwater 55 miles (90km) long, as Australia's severe flooding problems continue.

 

Deputy PM Wayne Swan said the recent floods would rank as one of Australia's most costly natural disasters ever.

 

More than 30 people have been killed since flooding began last month.

 

In Queensland, which has witnessed the worst of the flooding, nine people are still missing.

 

Floods tore through the towns of TOOWOMBA and GRANTHAM.

 

But record rains have shifted the flood emergency focus from the north-eastern state to VICTORIA in the south-east, which is experiencing its worst floods since records began 130 years ago.

 

The Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) has issued evacuation warnings for communities east of the city of Kerang, which remains cut off.

 

In all, more than 75 towns have been affected, and the SES said up to 10 towns remained in the floodwaters' northern path across flat, wheat-growing country.

 

In the city of SWAN HILL, people have been building makeshift levees to hold back the Murray River, which is expected to carry the bulk of the floodwaters as they run off over the next 10 days.

 

"The recent floods will rank as one of the most costly natural disasters in our history," said Mr Swan, who is also Australia's treasurer.

 

The impact of the floods was worse than a series of natural disasters in the 1970s and wildfires in 2009 in which 173 people died, he said in his first economic note of the year.

 

Further north, in QUEENSLAND, residents of the state capital, BRISBANE, have again been putting out sandbags as high tides threaten to inflict more misery on low-lying suburbs.

 

The city is still clearing up after floodwaters two weeks ago reached a peak of 4.46m (14.6ft). The search for the bodies of flood victims is continuing.

 

The floods are expected to pose a threat for another week, our correspondent says.

 

Economists estimate that the flooding in Queensland and Victoria will cost at least A$3bn (£1.8bn) in lost coal exports and agricultural production.

 

Reconstruction could cost an additional A$20bn, the ANZ Bank says.

 

The Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Appeal has so far raised A$135m.

 

 

Danish DDR1 and Swedish SVT: NEW FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA

 

24.1.11: Enormous water masses breached the dikes and submerged areas in south-eastern Australia. The rivers have flooded a huge area in the state of VICTORIA according to SES - Australia's State Emergency Service.

 

The flood in the state of VICTORIA is like a huge lake covering an area about 90km long and 40km wide.

 

30.1.11 - Swedish SVT: CYCLONE "ANTHONY" APPROACHING AUSTRALIA

 

The flood-stricken Australia is waiting for an approaching tropical cyclone - ANTHONY - which is gaining strength on its way to Australian mainland. It is expected to reach Australia late tonight (= the night between Sunday and Monday).

 

The north-eastern parts of Australia with ten thousands of already submerged homes and 35 deaths may face new problems due to additional rain and powerful winds coming from east.

 

 

Danish DR1 & TV2 NEWS on 31.1.11: AUSTRALIA THREATENED BY TROPICAL STORM

 

The hard-hit state of QUEENSLAND was hit by the tropical strom, ANTHONY which was accompanied by lots of heavy rain.

 

A new tropical storm - hurricane YASI - is threatening QUEENSLAND. It is expected to reach the coast near Townsville on Wednesday.

 

At present, YASI is a category 2 hurricane. But it may gain strength when moving across the Coral Sea.

 

If YASI hits Queensland on Wednesday, the state will undoubtedly experience floodings.

 

Harbours / ports have been closed today, Monday in Queensland. Tourists are being evacuated in high-risk areas.

 

"It may be one of the most powerful and most serious tropical hurricanes ever", says Queensland's prime minister Anna Bligh.

 

Meteorologists forecast heavy rain before the arrival of the hurricane which - according to prognoses - will hit with the same force as the KATRINA hurricane in the USA in 2005.

 

 

CYCLONE YASI HIT QUEENSLAND IN AUSTRALIA on 2.2.11

 

Cyclone YASI had a diameter of 400km and covered an area bigger than ITALY. The wind gusts were up to 300 km per hour. It was downgraded from a powerful category 5 cyclone to a category 4 cyclone.

 

Ten thousands of Queenslanders were evacuated before the arrival of the cyclone. Mines, railways and ports / harbours were shut down.

 

YASI hit Queensland between holiday resort CAIRNS and the town of CARDWELL and near the town Mission Beach. It was accompanied by 7-meter-high waves. Roofs blew off many buildings and disappeared. Many trees were uprooted.

 

More than 400,000 people are living in the areas threatened by cyclone YASI.

 

Queensland was hit by a cyclone like YASI in 1918, said Anna Bligh, Queensland's Prime Minister.

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12351647

 

2 February 2011 Last updated at 22:40 GMT

 

 

AUSTRALIA's QUEENSLAND BATTERED BY CYCLONE YASI

 

The Australian state of Queensland is counting the cost as a powerful cyclone carves a trail of destruction across the north-east.

 

Cyclone YASI struck the coast south of the city of Cairns at about midnight, ripping roofs from houses and toppling trees and power lines.

 

Small communities bore the brunt of winds up to 290km/h (181mph) as the storm swept inland slowly weakening.

 

About 30,000 people were evacuated from Yasi's path and taken to shelters.

 

Others spent a terrifying night in their homes as the colossal cyclone - the most powerful to hit the area in nearly a century - roared overhead and lashed them with rain.

 

'Relieved'

 

Officials in CAIRNS said the city had been spared the worst of the storm.

 

It was different story in coastal communities further south including Mission Beach, TULLY, CARDWELL and Innisfail.

 

Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh said that early assessments in TULLY indicate "that 90% of the buildings in that area are extensively damaged".

 

TULLY resident Ross Sorbello told the Sydney Morning Herald the town was a "scene of mass devastation".

 

Mr Sorbello, who briefly went outside as the eye of the storm passed over, said roofs were ripped from houses, electricity poles were down and the streets were covered with debris.

 

TULLY resident Stephanie Grimaz said that houses in her street had been torn apart, the Queensland Times reported.

 

Other residents in Tully described tree tops being shredded by winds that roared like jet engines, and water being forced under doors by the pressure.

 

On Thursday, the cyclone was continuing its south-westerly path across the state heading for Georgetown and Charters Towers.

 

Yasi was classed as a category five cyclone as it crossed the coast - the highest grade in the scale used to measure such storms.

 

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology later downgraded the storm to category four and then to category three and two, but still classified it as dangerous.

 

Cyclone Yasi made landfall between Innisfail and Cardwell at around midnight local time (1400 GMT Wednesday).

 

The eye of the storm was reported to be 35km (22 miles) in width, with a front stretching across 650km (400 miles). The core of the cyclone took four hours to pass overhead.

 

Prime Minister Julia Gillard described the storm as a "cyclone of savagery and intensity".

 

3.2.11 - RELIEF IN AUSTRALIA / QUEENSLAND

 

On 2.2.11, the tropical cyclone YASI hit north-eastern Australia - the state of Queensland. It ravaged a stretch of 300 km.

 

SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER THE CYCLONE "YASI": People lost their homes, yachts were thrown into the streets, and large banana and sugar cane plantations were destroyed. At least 15% of Australia's production of cane sugar was lost during the passing of the cyclone which was followed by heavy rain causing flooding in many areas.

 

In small communities along the coast in Queensland, 90% of the houses was reported damaged, but no reports of casualties (= deaths or injured).

 

The 2 big cities in the region - CAIRNS and TOWNSVILLE - were not exposed to the strongest gusts of wind. But TOWNSVILLE was very damaged.

 

A baby was born during the monster cyclone YASI in a closely packed evacuation centre in CAIRNS.

 

Many had feared that Yasi could be worse than Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin on Christmas Eve in 1974 and killed 71 people.

 

The cyclone follows the worst floods in Queensland's history, triggered by tropical storms which have battered the south of the state since the end of November.

 

6.2.11 - WILDFIRES HIT WESTERN AUSTRALIA AFTER NORTH-EAST FLOODS

 

WILDFIRES have destroyed a number of homes in western Australia, as the north-east of the country continues to be affected by FLOODING brought about by Cyclone YASI last week.

 

FLOODING also affected the southern state of VICTORIA after Yasi caused a series of thunderstorms over MELBOURNE and other large towns in the state.

The resulting two days of heavy rain caused further flooding.

 

In the western Australian city of Perth, wildfires tore through suburbs, destroying at least a dozen homes. There have been no reports of casualties.

 

In VICTORIA, the Melbourne suburb of ELWOOD was one of the hardest hit, with floodwaters cutting off many houses and washing cars off roads.

 

Melbourne received half its average annual rainfall in just a day, AP says.

 

In QUEENSLAND, some 7,000 people remain in evacuation centres and thousands more are living in their battered homes without power or water supplies.

Communication links have yet to be restored to many areas.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12376144

6 February 2011 Last updated at 11:27 GMT

 

BUSHFIRES BURN ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 

Bushfires are burning out of control in the suburbs of the western Australian city of PERTH.

 

The flames have already destroyed a handful of homes.

 

Hundreds of residents have been moved out of their homes but there are no reports of injuries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The situation on 11.1.11 as described by The Escapist from Australia:

 

"in-land tsunami".[/size][/b][/color] Many other towns are bracing for flash flooding.

 

More information can be found on this site http://www.bom.gov.au/ and this site. http://www.abc.net.au/news/ .

 

You can currently donate to the Queensland flood appeal via http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html . Every bit helps.

 

 

UPDATE ON 11.1.11 (EVENING)

 

 

AUSTRALIA'S FLOODS aka. FLOODS OF THE CENTURY aka. INLAND TSUNAMI

 

 

The Australian state of QUEENSLAND experiences the worst flooding for more than 50 years.

 

The floods in Queensland in north-eastern Australia covers an area as big as France and Germany combined.

 

Water masses submerged large parts of QUEENSLAND which cost at least 26 human lives.

 

On 10 January 2011, in TOOWOOMBA west of Brisbane, a 2m high wave of brown river water washed away people, cars and houses. Many people were evacuated by helicopter from house roofs where they had sought refuge.

 

In the Australian flooded areas 10 have died in the night between Monday 10.1 and Tuesday 11.1. Numerous additional people may have died as between 66 and 78 inhabitants are missing - so the police.

 

The heavy rain is expected to continue until March.

 

Numerous dam breaches and cloudbursts have worsened the situation in Queensland.

 

The water masses are now approaching Australia's third largest city and Queensland's capital - BRISBANE. Police recommended the inhabitants in parts of Brisbane to leave their homes.

 

Brisbane's mayor said that Brisbane was facing a flood worse than the flood in 1974.

 

About 15,000 are expected to be affected to some extent.

 

So far the floods are expected to reach a peak on Thursday 13.1.11. This will probably imply flooding of about 6,500 homes and businesses according to Queensland's Prime Minister, Anna Bligh. The police said that about 9,000 homes could be under water by Thursday.

 

Large parts of Brisbane are cut off by water from the river. The water level is expected to rise by 6m in the next couple of days. Cars are washed away by the water in Brisbane.

 

Evacuations have taken place in some quarters and are ongoing in other areas of Brisbane.

 

 

14.1.11 situation: Raging floodwaters have swamped thousands of homes and businesses in Queensland, leaving at least 25 people dead and dozens more missing since late November. Rail lines and highways have been washed away in what is shaping up to become Australia's costliest natural disaster.

 

15.1.11 The AP reports that weeks of relentless rains and flooding across Australia's northeast have already resulted in the deaths of 26 people, and an additional 20 people are still missing.

 

For years extreme drought conditions have threatened both the people and wildlife of Australia, but recent torrential downpours caused flooding to reach over 14 feet in some urban areas.

 

 

FLOODS IN SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA

 

15.1.11 The floods have culminated in Queensland. In BRISBANE, ten thousands of voluntaries are cleaning up after the high water levels in the last couple of weeks.

 

Thousands are now leaving communities further South, and the number of fleeing is rising fast.

 

29 communities are threatened by the water masses.

 

 

In the state of VICTORIA at least 2,000 have been forced to leave their homes.

 

UPDATE on 16 + 17.1.11:

 

The situation in NORTHERN AUSTRALIA is less serious after the floods that cost at least 17 human lives. The death toll is rising.

 

In BRISBANE the water masses have left enormous devastation and destruction. At least 30,000 homes and businesses have been destroyed by the water masses. The clean-up operation is ongoing, and more than 12,000 voluntaries participate in the clean-up operation.

 

In BRISBANE alone, the clean-up and reconstruction/rebuilding is expected to take up to 2 years.

 

The port/harbour can be used again.

 

 

This week-end (15 + 16.1.11) the rivers in the SOUTHERN state of VICTORIA have overflowed their banks. Several thousands have been evacuated.

 

In SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, more than 58 towns are affected by massive floods (19.1.11). 14,000 communities in the state of VICTORIA are now flooded.

 

 

AUSTRALIA (both northern and southern part):

 

20.1.11: Australian death toll 33 including 6 children.

 

12 missing since powerful flood swept the Lockyer Valley in Queensland.

 

First flood victim in New South Wales: A 3-year-old boy.

 

 

THE REASON WHY AUSTRALIA IS HIT BY FLOODS

 

The Australian state of QUEENSLAND experiences the worst flooding for more than 50 years.

 

The natural disaster is so comprehensive because the weather phenomenon LA NIÑA intensifies the RAINY SEASON extraordinarily and at the same time as the TROPICAL STORM, TASHA that hit the eastern part of Australia during the Christmas time. La Niña intensifies / reinforces what happens every year in the eastern part of Australia around this time of year, i.e. the start of the rainy season. So says Danish Radio / Television's weather editor Jesper Theilgaard.

[coldplay_is_louve.]

I have two aunts and an uncle that live in Queensland. Yeah. Two are currently with relatives in Melbourne and the third is with my brother in LA. I might have to take one or two in soon, these floods are bad.

[The Escapist]

The death toll from south-east Queensland's flood crisis has risen to 10, as Brisbane and Ipswich prepare for unprecedented flooding over the next two days.

 

Heavy rain, releases from the giant Wivenhoe Dam and high tides are set to combine to cause major flood peaks in the cities.

 

The number of missing people has been revised upwards to 78, and there are serious concerns for 18 of those people.

 

The weather bureau has lifted a severe weather warning for the region but the bureau's Brett Harrison says the general flood threat remains the same.

 

"All of the flood predictions were related to the water that was already on the ground," he said.

 

Suburbs at risk

Brisbane streets affected by flooding

Transport services

Current weather warnings

Send us your flood photos

Road closures

In an emergency call the SES on 132 500

Donate to the national flood appeal

Authorities say thousands of properties could be flooded as the Bremer and Brisbane rivers hit record levels over the next two days.

 

The Brisbane River is set rise to 4.5 metres on Wednesday and could go higher than the 1974 floods that reached 5.45 metres.

 

The Bremer River at Ipswich is now expected to reach 22 metres on Wednesday morning - 1.5 metres above the 1974 levels.

 

Large parts of Brisbane are already affected by flooding. A number of shops in the CBD have been evacuated and the State Library has closed because of the extreme weather conditions.

 

A steady stream of debris is floating down the swollen Brisbane River, including boats ripped from their moorings by the force of the current, and a whole ferry pontoon.

 

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says the scale of the looming disaster is constantly being reassessed.

 

"If we see these sorts of levels in the Brisbane River we would expect to see somewhere above 9,000 properties affected significantly and more than 30,000 other properties having some impact," she said.

 

Ms Bligh has urged people not to panic.

 

"We are facing one of our toughest ever tests, we will only pass this test if we are calm," she said.

 

"Now is not a time for panic, it is a time for us to stick together."

 

As panicked residents strip supermarket shelves bare, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson echoed Ms Bligh's call for calm.

 

"Stay calm but act wisely and if you're in doubt, evacuate to friends or evacuate, don't take any unnecessary risks," he said.

 

The death toll from the wild flooding has risen to 10.

 

The latest victim was a four-year-old boy who drowned while being moved to safety at Marburg, near Ipswich.

 

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the boy, who was wearing a flotation jacket, fell out of a rescue boat and was swept away in floodwaters.

 

Mr Pisasale says Ipswich is preparing as best it can.

 

"If you think I'm panicking, yeah I am, but I want everyone to stay calm because we're going to resolve this together," he said.

 

Locals evacuate

 

Preparations are being made for around 1,000 at the main Brisbane evacuation centre at the RNA Showgrounds.

 

Pallavi Datar and her husband arrived around 5:00pm (AEST) on Tuesday.

 

Ms Datar says they are grateful for the speedy response by authorities.

 

"When we left the home we didn't know where to go, but we were hoping that there would be some arrangement made by the city council," she said.

 

"We are really really appreciating the situation that the city council was so prompt in setting up a evacuation centre for people like us, because otherwise there would have been really nowhere to go."

 

Around 800 Ipswich residents have sought shelter at evacuation centres in the city.

 

Greg Goebel, the executive director of the Australian Red Cross, says the Ipswich residents are distressed but coping well.

 

"There's been no panic but there's obviously been an influx of people as the day and night has gone on, but people are generally well behaved," he said.

 

"They realise the gravity of the situation and they also realise that they need to take action now to move to safety."

 

Several major highways are cut as well as countless suburban roads.

 

Residents in flood-affected south-east Queensland are being urged to conserve their drinking water over the next 48 hours.

 

Barry Dennien from SEQ Water says some of the organisation's treatment equipment has been damaged by the floods.

 

He says it is important the treated supply is preserved for the next couple of days.

 

"We'd like people to just be a touch conservative with the water they are using. It's safe to drink. It's perfectly OK," he said.

 

"But if they could just be atouch conservative. That way we can maintain them full and get them through the next coming days which is critical."

 

Call for donations

 

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says it will take many months for communities to recover from the devastating floods.

 

She says the Federal Government is doing all it can to help people affected by the flooding.

 

"We've already processed more than 10,000 claims and paid more than $13 million and this is just the start - there will be more payments and support for people in recovery and then all of the rebuilding to do."

 

Lifeline is appealing for donations to help its crisis hotline field calls from those affected by floods.

 

The organisation is dealing with large phone bills as they provide counselling from call centres across the country.

 

Lifeline's Chris Wagner says they are providing support around the clock for people looking for someone to talk to about the disaster.

 

"Nationally our centres are all heavily manning the 131114 24-hour crisis telephone service," he said.

 

"That service is already receiving calls from a number of people who either are affected by the flood crisis or who are being affected by watching the flood crisis as the coverage unfolds."

 

Power cuts

 

Residents in Brisbane's CBD and Ipswich could be plunged into darkness as authorities cut off power supplies as floodwater levels rise.

 

Energex says the outages will impact hundreds of thousands of customers.

 

Supply will be cut to Ipswich on Tuesday night and Brisbane from 7:00am (AEST) on Wednesday.

 

The company says the restoration of supplies will depend on floodwaters receding and the amount of damage caused to its substations and network.

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Stewart says police are daunted by the scale of the disaster in the Lockyer Valley.

 

A raging torrent of water swept through Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley on Monday, and heavy rain yesterday again pushed creeks to major flood levels.

 

"Certainly Grantham is one of the focus, but the other one is the Murphy's Creek and Withcott area," he said.

 

"That's the other area we're having difficulty getting into, and it's going to take us a long time today to get to every one of those areas.

 

"I mean, the sheer scale of this operation is quite daunting when you look at the number of places and creeks that have been affected."

 

Many towns were either badly damaged or wiped out by the flash flooding. Homes were knocked from their footings and cars were washed away.

 

Where the water has dropped slightly, there has been tonnes of mud and debris left behind.

 

A telephone hotline - 1300 993 191 - has been set up for people seeking information on friends and relatives caught up in the flooding disaster.

[Chloe_Martin]

Floods in Australia

 

:cry: As a fellow Australian its heartbreaking to see all these people go through this and my family are making plans so if it floods down in New South Wales then we'll be safe

[nancyk58]

:cry: As a fellow Australian its heartbreaking to see all these people go through this and my family are making plans so if it floods down in New South Wales then we'll be safe

 

Good to hear that Chloe. And for your information, I started a thread today about FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA - AN INLAND TSUNAMI.

 

So far I and the Escapist have posted in it. And later I will post in it too. But I have been busy with other news (currently HAITI).

 

 

 

To the MODERATORS: Merge this thread with the new one started by me today.

 

Edit: THANK YOU, ANNA (SueDeNimes). I was in doubt whether to post updates in relation to the Australian floods in the NEWS section OR the Humanitarian section (Donations). I chose the Humanitarian section - but it is okay with me if it was moved to the NEWS section. Thanks anyway.

T

[Grace.]

Another update, as of 17 minutes ago:

Brisbane residents have been told it is not too late to evacuate as a once-in-a-century flood threatens 20,000 homes tonight.

 

More than 50 suburbs are expected to be flooded when the Brisbane River hits an expected peak of 5.2 metres at about 4:00am on Thursday.

 

Already thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes after the swollen river burst its banks and rose past 4 metres on Wednesday.

 

Infrastructure was destroyed, 35 suburbs were deluged, and Lord Mayor Campbell Newman warned sewage was seeping into the floodwaters after treatment plants were inundated.

 

Councillor Newman said the city's ferry terminals had been "smashed to pieces" while council engineers were forced to demolish the floating RiverWalk around the New Farm cliffs amid fears that it would break away and career downstream.

 

The Brisbane River was a swirling torrent, with boats, pontoons and other debris being swept towards the sea and muddy water inundating low-lying areas.

 

The flooding was caused by water surging downstream from the overloaded Wivenhoe Dam meeting a larger than usual high tide.

 

Authorities warn of a growing risk of disease, including Ross River Fever, hepatitits and gastroenteritis, as the floods linger into the weekend.

 

Councillor Newman was pleading with locals to heed flood warnings tonight.

 

"Please, if the water's coming your way, it's not too late, you need to make a decision about evacuation or trying to sandbag," he said.

 

"People shouldn't muck around. If they're on the flood map, if their street is on the list, make the decision to get out."

 

Amid the havoc and tragedy, there was some good news today.

 

Two people who were swept away by the floods in the Lockyer Valley were found alive in what police hailed as a "miracle".

 

The floodwaters in the city of Ipswich peaked two metres shy of the forecast, saving hundreds of homes.

 

But more than 3,000 Ipswich homes and businesses were swamped, with about one-third of the city affected.

 

A quick reduction in Wivenhoe Dam releases may have saved some Brisbane homes, with hydrologists saying water level readings at Mt Crosby, upstream of Brisbane, suggest the flood may fall short of the 1974 mark.

 

But 12 people are confirmed dead, and grave fears are held for at least nine more, as authorities continue the grim search for bodies in the Lockyer Valley.

 

Assistant Commissioner Steve Gollschewski says it is certain the death toll will rise as crews search the area ravaged by an "inland tsunami" late on Monday.

 

"It is our belief there will be further victims," he warned.

 

The homicide squad has been called in to help with the search for victims.

 

More than 3,500 people are in evacuation centres in Ipswich and Brisbane.

 

Flood victims have been pulling up at an evacuation centre at Brisbane's RNA Showgrounds, their cars full of whatever they had been able to salvage.

 

Many were carrying mattresses, bags and pillows and their faces were numb as the shock sunk in.

 

Brisbane's CBD was a ghost town on Wednesday, with the Riverside Expressway closed after floodwaters rose to within 2 metres of the road, and most of the Queen Street Mall closed.

 

Sandbags lined shops at the lower end of the mall and also businesses in the surrounding streets. Bridges across the river were all closed.

 

Police evacuated whole city blocks and more than 120,000 people were without power as Energex crews shut down the electricity grid in low-lying areas.

 

In the southern inland, further west, petrol was being rationed in a number of communities and those in Dalby and Chinchilla are waiting on a second flood peak.

 

Chinchilla experienced a 7.5 metre peak at Charleys Creek today, with up to 70 properties affected.

 

I live in Brisbane, and although I'm currently on holidays visiting family on their property in central Queensland, I have to say, this is terrifying!

The floods started up here, and while my family and I were isolated for about 10 days because of swollen creeks, we lost nothing but a few fences. The amount of rain we were getting was quite scary, it's so hard to imagine what it's like in Brisbane. I'm so worried about all my friends and family in Brisbane, I haven't been able to get hold of some of them and I can't sleep because of it, as they live in suburbs that are being evacuated or are at risk of being flooded.

About a week ago, a city called Rockhampton was being mentioned on the news a lot because of the major flooding going on in that city. The river levels there haven't dropped and the city is still flooded. Unfortunately for us, the town we live nearest too gets most of its produce from Rockhampton. As a result it's complete pandemonium here, as of today there is not a loaf of bread or bottle of milk to be seen anywhere in the whole town, and fruit, vegetable and meat supplies are running very low. And I'm talking about a little town in the middle of central Queensland, population about 7,000, that is no longer being affected by the floods first-hand. I hate to think about just how widespread the implications of the flood will be, and how long they will go for.

 

And the worst part is, this is probably only the beginning. The flooding started in north Queensland, now it's in south Queensland (75% of the state has been declared a natural disaster zone now) and moving into northern New South Wales. With all the wet weather predicted, this flooding could go on for months. I'm not even sure I'll be able to get back to my home in Brisbane, or if I'll even have a uni to go back to.

 

This reminds me too much of the Black Saturday fires a couple of years ago, in the amount of devastation being caused. I was in the area when those hit, too.

:sad:

[Cobalt]

My sister nearly got stuck in Toowoomba, she luckily got out with her young family on Monday night when the floodwaters receded off the highway. The next morning the highway was blocked again... eeh scary stuff. Seeing a city I've visited underwater... eeeeeh!

[Cobalt]

Not only that, you should have posted this in News and Sport, for future reference.

[Italian Plastic]

:( all very sad. I was there this time last year. It's awful to know that some of the places I visited are underwater now.

[Chloe_Martin]

i hope to god that it doesnt move down to New South Wales

everyone in Queensland will be in my prayers

[SueDeNimes]

Merged and moved.

[Cobalt]

For anyone else in Melbourne, there's a fundraising event on Friday at Federation Square, with musicians! It's on at 2:30-4pm, do come and donate.

[Zeya]

I've been there as well to visit some friends. Good thing that they've moved to other places before this happened. Can't imagine the hardship that those people are going through. My thoughts is with all of them.

[coldplay_is_louve.]

My cousin's house in Queensland was completely destroyed yesterday. She's currently at the airport in Sydney, looking for a flight to come stay with me. This is just, awful.

[ainsley]

This is freaking me out so much, agh, I am like crying right now, damn it.

I'mjust so worried and scared and ... :bigcry:

I'll pray for everyone in Australia and hope things will get better,

and that no more people will die. This is just so terrible :bigcry:

 

I need to calm down,

I can't handle stuff like this

Must.make.some.tea

[zempt]

The images from the news is just scary, have a friend there and she's safe but from what i've heard its a very horrible sight. Hopefully the flood recedes after it has hit its predicted peak which will be soon.

 

 

The Pat Rafter Arena where the men's final was just played on Sunday.

 

 

 

Suncorp Stadium

 

 

Real heartbreaking story.

A TEENAGER killed in the Toowoomba flood has been hailed a hero after he told a Good Samaritan to save his younger brother first, minutes before he and his mother were swept away.

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/teenager-swept-away-after-saving-his-brother-from-toowoomba-floods/story-fn7kabp3-1225986169850

[nancyk58]

My sister nearly got stuck in Toowoomba, she luckily got out with her young family on Monday night when the floodwaters receded off the highway. [/color]The next morning the highway was blocked again... eeh scary stuff. Seeing a city I've visited underwater... eeeeeh!

 

 

I am glad that your sister with family managed to get out of Toowoomba in time, EMMA. I can imagine how hard it is to see a city you visited underwater.

 

My heart goes out to the affected Australians. They are in my thoughts.

 

Good Christina (Coldplay_is_louwe) that you could help your cousin and that your uncles / aunts found a refuge as well.

[NumbersGirl]

It's so sad to see this, I can't even imagine what it would be like. There is quite a bit of coverage on it over here, and this morning I even saw a video of horses trying to swim to higher ground. :cry:

[coldplay_is_louve.]

I have a lot of family in Australia, too. And by a lot I mean, a damn lot. I've been phoning them like crazy, and thankfully, they're all safe. They're with relatives in New Zealand right now but I have a feeling I'll be taking in some people soon, if this doesn't stop. Crazy, crazy stuff.

[Grace.]

Good news!

The Brisbane River peaked last night at about 4.5m, which was a metre below the expected level. They say this saved over 12,000 homes from inundation. Though high tide tonight is expected to reach a similar height it's not expected to get any higher, and should start going down in a few days.

[nancyk58]

AUSTRALIA: BRISBANE CITY IS FLOODED (all the media).

 

The Brisbane river overflowed its banks.

 

ZDFtext: Muddy, brown river water flooded Queensland's capital, BRISBANE (Australia's third largest city with 2 million inhabitants).

 

It was reported that Brisbane's suburbs and later also central Brisbane were flooded.

 

These are Brisbane's worst floods for more than 30 years.

 

Swedish SVT (evening): UP TO 100,000 were forced to leave their homes as water masses reached BRISBANE. 2 evacuation centres were established.

 

According to reports, at least 12 died in the BRISBANE area due to the water masses.

 

Tonight the police in Brisbane said that the water level of Brisbane river had culminated at a level more than 1m below the feared level.

 

At least 20 died in floods hitting Queensland, and at least 40 people are missing.

 

 

Danish TV2, news (live) and Swedish SVT:

 

The natural disaster has been caused by several weeks of torrential rain.

 

22 dead (SVT + DR1: 12 dead in Brisbane alone)

67 missing (DR1: 90 missing)

 

75% of BRISBANE declared natural disaster area / zone.

 

Brisbane harbour / port was closed.

 

Earlier it was reported that the water level was rising by 1m per hour.

[ImLovingGuyBerryman]

My Aunt and a couple cousins live close to affected areas. Luckily they're ok.

[nancyk58]

My Aunt and a couple cousins live close to affected areas. Luckily they're ok.

 

 

Glad to hear that. :)

[Chloe_Martin]

14 deeaths now :'(

 

my cousins just got evacuated

[nancyk58]

14 deeaths now :'(

 

my cousins just got evacuated

 

 

Terrible and scary, these floods, but good that your cousings got evacuated. At least they are safe.