Floods

[FNM]

Thanks for the concern folks.

Absolute hysteria up here. I live maybe 500m from the river at the moment, and though it is high it has a long long way to go until it affects properties. But some people are carrying on like its armageddon. Shop shelves are clearing as suburban mums and dads do their shopping before battoning down the hatches,.

Be glad when its all over.

Pretty awful watching it on the tellie. Stay dry, mate!
Find the nearest pub on a hill and settle in for the night lol
All the best!

[WilliamPowell]

Thanks for the concern folks.

Take care Jake 

[julzqld]

Yeah we're ok on the Coast.  But we knew 2 people who lost their lives in Toowoomba. 

[WilliamPowell]

Yeah we're ok on the Coast.  But we knew 2 people who lost their lives in Toowoomba. 

So sorry to here that Julz

You & yours take care

WP

[Penelope]

Yeah we're ok on the Coast.  But we knew 2 people who lost their lives in Toowoomba. 

poo, not real flash at all. Sorry to hear that julz.

[one-eyed]

You can donate towards the flood relief here

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

[the_boy_jake]

Been a bit devastating in parts. I think the difference between flood and fires is that in the case of a flood, you can be fine and not in any danger whatsoever someone literally 50m down the road can be completely under.

Aside from the tragic loss of life, just in awe of nature. Bloody interesting to watch. Every 50 years this meandering serpent of a river decides to terrorise Brisbane. Whole suburbs turned into inland seas. I love this city.

[FNM]

Been a bit devastating in parts. I think the difference between flood and fires is that in the case of a flood, you can be fine and not in any danger whatsoever someone literally 50m down the road can be completely under.

Aside from the tragic loss of life, just in awe of nature. Bloody interesting to watch. Every 50 years this meandering serpent of a river decides to terrorise Brisbane. Whole suburbs turned into inland seas. I love this city.

It's devastating. It's a great city
Over 3000 businesses stuffed - how many people out of work, not to mention lives, homes lost, animals
I don't know how the government can help them at that level
Has it affected you, Jake?

[the_boy_jake]

Nah can't say it has affected me at all really in the strictest personal sense.

My best mate from my childhood, 100m down the road from my childhood home - his family home completely under. Just surreal to see parts of the city that you know 4m, 5m under water.

The worst thing is, you can't help as the roads linking the city are flooded. Brisbane is a very hilly city in comparison to Melbourne, and you seem fine where you are but just a short walk away the roads will be under. The RSPCA were asking for volunteers to house pets and I would have loved to have helped, but Fairfield where they are is one of the worst hit suburbs.

Don't think you can hold the government accoutable for the dam situation, I think they would like to build more, but its hard to convince environmentalists. I also think that they could not have let much water go given that less than 5 years ago we had levels down below 20%. But the real thing is the amount of floodplains that the government has let development occur on under pressure from rising population and property developers. There are places that clearly shouldn't have houses on. Moreover, the newer style houses are largely concrete with no natural drainage. I must say it is oddly reassuring to pass a concrete house that is submerged and then see its neighbouring traditional Queenslander style house or cottage with its stilt legs, weatherboard and tin roof just above the water. Maybe our forebearers weren't so stupid after all.

[FNM]

Don't think you can hold the government accoutable for the dam situation, I think they would like to build more, but its hard to convince environmentalists.

They may have to rethink the Traveston????

[julzqld]

A friend of mine was telling me of someone he knew who was with the SES in Rockhampton.  Crews in boats would have to carry long sticks - to ward off all the snakes trying to get into the boat!

Also there were reports of a bull shark in Goodna!

[the_boy_jake]

Worth putting it all in perspective - 470 died in floods in Brazil overnight, I would assume given the relative quality of living conditions that there will be many more who are dispossessed and made homeless there. Although many of us saw streets and suburbs flooded, because main roads were cut we weren't really able to grasp the total scale of the flooding. Would have to say that the sensationalist media have done a wonderful job of upping the fear factor over the last week. I went for a drive yesterday across town (in a massive detour up towards the hills and out again) and there are suburbs close to the river like Hawthorne and Bulimba I expected to be completely under but are 95% fine.

[Penelope]

Hey smokey, are you keeping your feet dry in all this ?

[mightytiges]

Worth putting it all in perspective - 470 died in floods in Brazil overnight, I would assume given the relative quality of living conditions that there will be many more who are dispossessed and made homeless there. Although many of us saw streets and suburbs flooded, because main roads were cut we weren't really able to grasp the total scale of the flooding. Would have to say that the sensationalist media have done a wonderful job of upping the fear factor over the last week. I went for a drive yesterday across town (in a massive detour up towards the hills and out again) and there are suburbs close to the river like Hawthorne and Bulimba I expected to be completely under but are 95% fine.

I'd reckon the sheer scale of the floods (an area the size of France and Germany combined apparently) and with what happened in Toowomba is what shocked people (no doubt first world disasters get far more airplay in the media although in the States the news is also about shooting in Arizona and not floods in Qld). There's also the economic cost which is still yet to be felt. Queensland contributes 20% of Australia's GDP, 60% of the state's coal mines were flooded and fresh produce will leap in price across Oz. The cost of all clean up all the mess and returning the flooded areas to normal is estimated to be around $13 billion. Then there's also the situation where people can't go to work and earn money so they'll need temporary financial assistance. The money is going to have to come from somewhere and most likely the taxpayer as insurance companies often have clauses in their policies excluding flood damage.

My cousin who lives on the Sunshine Coast was very lucky. The water flooded her backyard and she had to bail out the pool but her house escaped any flooding or damage. One end of her street was under water but she at least had the other end as a way out.

[mightytiges]

Looks like they are going to have to extend the flood relief appeal to 3 states now. Northern NSW and Victoria need help as well.