Floods

We have been 'wingeing’ about the rain here changing our holiday plans of beach and pool time, but I feel very fortunate at this point. We have seen so much devastation on the news in most of Queensland and western New South Wales. A week ago the flood was an area the size of BC. We have watched about devastation through locusts in Victoria and South Australia, and bush fires in Western Australia. There has been no reprieve for Australia. It has become so heartbreaking to watch the whole country suffer through this tragedy.

The floods started 19 days ago. It was a huge flood and whole cities, like Rockhampton were flooded and numerous small towns were completely ruined. Australia had a big telethon to raise money a couple of nights ago and were documenting the waters receding in many areas. Well the flood has gotten much worse since then. Areas that had not been hit in southern Queensland and northern NSW are now getting the worst of it. There was an inland tsunami west of Brisbane and the footage has been so outrageous. This was a 8 meter wall of water. I can not comprehend even with the tv footage. There is a place west of Brisbane that is expecting a 22 meter peak tonight. The rain has not abated and a scientist was on the news talking about when you have this much water and the summer heat it evaporates and rains even more. Great!

Down river from the flash flood is Brisbane. Brisbane is built all along a snaking river. They are evacuating many, many suburbs right now. The grocery stores are empty and the highways are plugged. This is a once in 100 years flood.

We were in Brisbane, for a few nights, just 3 days ago. We stayed with a friend of my Mom’s and went out with her son and his family. We had a lovely time and spent a day on the Brisbane River on the local transit ferry. The water was really high when we started but by the afternoon it had settled and our hosts didn’t seem to think there was going to be a problem there. Right now they predict the river and tides will meet to an extreme height tomorrow afternoon.

Our house is in the rolling hills and we will not get flooded, but we don’t know how the surrounding ‘shire’s’ will fair. The big rains are a bit inland of us, but the towns near us are low and on the river. There are rains predicted for the rest of our week. We feel extremely fortunate to not have gotten a home exchange in any of the flood area. We were trying for some of those towns that are now in trouble.

Well that is how it is here right now. We will hope to keep the power and see what is out there tomorrow when we head to Nathan’s swimming lesson. Indoor pool!

Hopefully, holiday style updates next time.

Lana