NFR - This is devastating

[CorkedHat]

Until about three years ago I lived in Queensland. The so called Sunshine State had been my home for thirty years and I still have many close friends and fond memories of the State.
Today Queensland is under water and already eight people have died and many more are unaccounted for. Although I have visited most of the places that they are showing on television I hardly recognise the landscape.
Brisbane my old home city is about to go under and unless something dramatic happens there are thirty suburbs under threat including where I used to live.
We have some very harsh weather in this country; fires, drought, locust plague and floods. We have had them all in a relatively short time span but as Anna Bligh, the Premier of Queensland said, "These floods may be breaking our hearts but they will not break our will."

[YankeeJim]

Water is really underrated in the Western world as a natural calamity. I've work two hurricanes in my career and by far the most damage was caused by water. I'll keep a good thought for you and yours. May God bless and protect all those in harms way.

[duffbeer]

Water is really underrated in the Western world as a natural calamity. I've work two hurricanes in my career and by far the most damage was caused by water. I'll keep a good thought for you and yours. May God bless and protect all those in harms way.

+ 1.  Corked Hat, Queensland will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[Hazey]

I wait with abated breathe to see the some cash donated to Oz from Pakistan in return for helping them out last year after their floods....

Anyone else find it a bit irritating when western countries are always getting sledged for not contributing enough, when there is rarely even a token effort going the other way?

I know it isn't practical or anything and I am probably strung out from a massively busy nighyt at work but still....

[CorkedHat]

I wait with abated breathe to see the some cash donated to Oz from Pakistan in return for helping them out last year after their floods....

Anyone else find it a bit irritating when western countries are always getting sledged for not contributing enough, when there is rarely even a token effort going the other way?

I know it isn't practical or anything and I am probably strung out from a massively busy nighyt at work but still....

To be fair Hazey we have had offers of help from many overseas countries. Julia Gillard read them out at her News Conference this morning and they included countries such as Indonesia and Sri Lanka to whom we have provided relief fund in the past.
Our mates from New Zealand have come to the party by providing manpower but they are three hours away and logistically it makes more sense to elicit their help in this respect.

[HatterDon]

I wait with abated breathe to see the some cash donated to Oz from Pakistan in return for helping them out last year after their floods....

Anyone else find it a bit irritating when western countries are always getting sledged for not contributing enough, when there is rarely even a token effort going the other way?

I know it isn't practical or anything and I am probably strung out from a massively busy nighyt at work but still....

Several times over the last 20 years, the quickest offer and delivery of emergency aid to the USA after natural disasters came from Bangladesh -- certainly one of the poorest nations on earth trying to help one of the richest.

Just because you don't know that these countries feel an obligation to help allay suffering is no reason to assume that they don't.

[Hazey]

Very wise words HD.  I stand corrected men.

Gee the Indonesian involvement is surprising, are relations there not as tense as they used to be?  They used to hate us with a passion, then again that could have be western media hype.

[OldBrownShoe]

There can't be many of us who don't have friends or rellies living in Oz and Queensland. Our hearts go out to them. Australia has never been slow to put in aid and help to countries suffering catastrophe and disaster, in fact it has usually been one of the first. I do hope that our country can help in a major way.

I am sure that economically advantaged countries such as China and India will put their hands in their pockets to aid Oz. Oh sorry this is no time for sarcasm.

Thank you Corked Hat for bringing this to our attention.

[CorkedHat]

God knows we have had some disasters in this country but this is the worst we have ever known.
I used to live about fifty yards from the Brisbane River not far from the CBD and tonight my old street is under water.
The town of Toowoomba which is about 100 miles from Brisbane is situated on top of a mountain range some seven hundred feet above sea level and yet it has not escaped. It is almost submerged and not since records began have they received such a deluge.
The problem is that this is not expected to peak until Thursday so the worst is yet to come.
Nine people are already dead and another sixty are recorded as missing. The Premier said that we can expect the death toll to be at least eighteen.
As OBS says, many have friends and relatives in Australia. If you have difficulty in reaching them or would like an update on where they live just let me know and I'll do my best to find the info for you.
You may not know but bushfires are raging just south of Perth in WA but so far no casualties.

[Tom]

Sorry to hear this CH. Take care buddy!

[mrska]

I have lots of Friends down under... this is a time when we set aside old rivalries and send my best wishes to those effected by this flooding. Thinking of you all..

[LBNo11]

...the big brown land downunder has been badly hit (moreso than usual) by the elements in recent years, whatever the constitutional changes our lands are inextricably linked with kin, friends and grudging (in a banter sense) admiration, when Australia suffers many in Britain feel the pain.

Our thoughts are with you and all you hold dear and of course all OzFoffers...

[finnster01]

Mr CorkedHat,
I can only echo the sentiments described above.

My thoughts are with my friends downunder.

[sipwell]

All the best to the flooded Aussies. Water indeed, as we have seen all across Europe in the last months, is devastating when you are faced with it.

[epsomraver]

John terrible times, just when the floods up state seemed to be subsiding, the problem will hit London one day while developers keep building on the flood plains, what part of FLOOD do they not understand.

[The Equalizer]

I have friends and family in Queensland and my thoughts and prayers are with them and everyone else who is suffering from these floods.

[King_Crud]

my missus is from Brisbane. Her parents printing business is in the firing line for major damage, her dad has alreasy considered the major equipment on the ground floor as a lost cause and is looking to protect upstairs. Floods haven't arrived yet but it's inevitable. Due to some insurance issue with their franchiser they could potentially lose everything as the house is linked to the business.

[CorkedHat]

I understand that the floods in Brisbane have not yet been covered very extensively by the media over in the UK. As King Crud says the damage is only superficial at this stage although many roads have been closed.
By this time tomorrow, however, I can assure you that Brisbane will be world news with a devastation of biblical proportions.
Brisbane has a population of around 2 million and the Brisbane River which winds itself through the CBD and suburbs has already burst its banks. The worst, however, is yet to come.
Here where I live in Victoria it has rained non-stop for three days and we are gradually being cut-off from other towns, but our plight is nothing compared with what they are going through in Queensland.
Thank you all for your kind thoughts.

[Burt]

This is really awful business, I echo the sentiments above.

I am half Australian myself and whilst most of my rellies are in SA and NSW we do have some in Queensland and rather worryingly haven't heard anything from them yet. Fingers crossed.

Best wishes to you Mr CH sir.

[GoldCoastWhite]

The really worrying thing is the amount of water in the Wivenhoe Dam. It's now at 173% and still rising so they must release huge amounts of water into the already flooded Brisbane River to prevent a catastrophic, uncontrolled overflow. I'm off to bed now but not looking forward to the news when I get up in the morning. This is going to test Queensland and the nations resources to the limit. Good luck to all in harm's way.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/brisbane-flood-alert-as-wivenhoe-threatens-to-spill-over/story-e6freon6-1225985251560