Brisbane, QLD


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

BRISBANE FLOODS

In the morning at 4:00 am my beautiful city of Brisbane will be under water as the river will peak at an estimated 5.5m/18ft. Already the river is rising and moving much faster than its usual slow meander to the bay. Many riverside suburbs are underwater. The CBD is also flooding. 
It has taken two days for the deluge that hit the mountains to reach us and even though the sun has started to shine again we can't stop the water. The Lockyer and Brisbane Valleys are emptying into the Brisbane River which passes  through the heart of the city. Even the dam cannot stop the flooding as the storms dumped much more water than ever before.
People were warned yesterday that the river was going to flood and those living in riverside suburbs were told to evacuate. There are thousands of people in organised shelters and 150,000 homes without power. The electricity was turned off to avoid dangerous situations. Business people have been trying to salvage stock and move to higher ground.

 The car parks are full (of water). Hopefully the theatres, Art Galleries, Library and Museum will not go under.

 Many people who live on the river have pontoons and boats outside their house or apartment. The moorings are getting ripped up and they become dangerous floating missiles crashing into bridges and buildings. A whole floating restaurant got torn away and crashed into a bridge.

 Our biggest football stadium is flooded, the field is underwater and my team were supposed to be playing there on Sunday.

 Riverside restaurants go under in the CBD.

 Many people will lose their businesses but they still have a sense of humour. God luv 'em.

Goodna suburb , one of the first to go under.

There were some horrific stories told from the survivors of towns washed away. They could hear people screaming inside houses that were being washed down the river.  I hate to think of what will be left of the city in the morning.

26 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry this is happening to you and your beautiful city. How close is it to you? I so hope that it starts lessening very fast.

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  2. Words really are inadequae here.

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  3. Incredible mess. Our hearts are with you here in Canada.


    Cheers from Cottage Country, Perth, Ontario!

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  4. Unfortunately, there's not a thing anyone can do to halt the massive body of water headed towards Brisbane - the one good thing about knowing is that it has given those most at risk a chance to evacuate and wait it out from a safe distance. Afterwards, everyone will have to roll up their sleeves and help with restoring and rebuilding the city and lives of those whose misfortune it was to be hit hardest by this "Act of God"

    Thank you, Diane - this post could not have been easy to do.

    Hugs,

    Des xo

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  5. Hey Diane, I googled for a picture and came across your blog! Great blog by the way. I certainly will come back and read about all your adventures.
    I 'borrowed' some of your pics but did put a link on to your blog.
    Stay safe!
    Perth!

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  6. So sorry to see this. My heart goes out to everyone. I am a Brit and my Mum was flooded out in the 80s. We know what it is like. I do hope you and your husband will be safe. Take care.

    On another note I would like to compliment you on your blog. I thoroughly enjoy reading it.

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  7. God! What dramatic photos. I'm with you and all the people who have lost their home and friends. I hope the situation will rectify as quickly as possible. Stuttgart is situated on river "Neckar" and we're untroubled by floods until now.

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  8. Oh Diane;) my heart just breaks for all affected by the flood. So awful. I pray you and Bill are OK this morning (now Wednesday afternoon in South Africa)(((Hugs))) Jo

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  9. Whilst the loss of homes, business's etc is heartbreaking, its the loss of life that can never be replaced. Your city will recover - ours did, I just pray that no one else looses a life. xxxxxx

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  10. Oh Diane, this just makes me cry... It's so sad to see what kind of damage Mother Nature can cause. I am so very sorry for what is happening in Brisbane and to your beautiful country.

    Hugs and Prayers,
    Betsy

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  11. Thanks for posting this information, it is good to see what is actually going on. I visited Brisbane and northern Queensland in 2005 and loved my time there. What a beautiful country! Thoughts and prayers from Canada.

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  12. Diane my thoughts and prayers are with you and all the people in Queensland and the city of Brisbane. This is such a terribe diaster for all of you! I look at your photos and I can't imagine the horror of having to live through this. It seems the people of Australia are brave and resilient and ready to help each other come through this disaster together. I hope all nations of the world will help in the clean up and rebuilding! I hope you and Bill will be safe and spared much damage.

    {{{hugs}}

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  13. I have no words....except to echo those above. We are watching and praying over here and I trust that the world will come together to help where needed to recover from this tragedy.

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  14. Everything has been said already, I am speechless to see all the devastations.It is such a disaster, all those people leaving their homes, all the water everywhere. I do so hope you will be safe without any loss.
    Regards, Marianne

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  15. This simulation video is scary ! One feels so helpless when such a thing happens. Have you ever had this before ??

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  16. Good news that the flood peaked lower than expected. Sat at home yesterday with a stomach bug watching the level rise. It was truly unbelievable. God knows what its like for those of you actually in it.

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  17. I'm so sorry you're all having to go through this. It sounds horrendous.

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  18. Continuing to send up prayers and hugs..no words can express my condolences...

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  19. So much devastation and destruction. Hard to believe that I'm seeing so many places that I've visited now under water. Hope the sun is a sign of relief so the cleaning and rebuilding can begin.

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  20. It's hard to believe that so much water could be invading a city.

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  21. Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts. We are safe as we do not live near the river or in a low lying area. Thank goodness. I don't know how I would have coped to have all that mess through my house and everything ruined.
    Gattina: Yes we have had a bad flood before, back in 1974. The water level then was higher then than it is this time.Since then a dam was built on the river to help prevent the city flooding but there was just too much water this time.

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  22. Diane - I stand in "awe" of your marvellous reporting on these flooding disasters. North of Brisbane,("Rocky", the Burnett and Gympie), the inland areas, Toowoomba, Ipswich and lastly Brisbane. You and Bill have done a magnificent job to keep your blog readers up to date. Congratulations.
    It is incredible to think that the Brisbane CBD is in lockdown.
    I hope that my e-mail server, like many other Government ones, can be soon fixed - I think maybe tomorrow?????
    The Emergency Services, the Police and the Military are doing a job that we can be so proud of - one has to SALUTE them.
    Now my old youthful days of the 1950's, is getting the water - Goondiwindi/Moree/ and little Boomi are getting flooded by the water in the Gwyder/MacIntyre/Barwon and then becomes the Darling River. These name changes for one waterway has always fascinated me??? Anyone know the reason?
    The present focus on Brisbane is understandable, but I hope that the towns and cities, north, south and west are not forgotten.
    Now the terrible clean up. Beyond my imagination and it will take months.
    Colin (HB)

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  23. Thanks Diane for including the good news that the mother and child have been found - had missed seeing that on the news. Do hope their joy can become complete and the father is also found.

    Very hard times.

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