Last Thursday morning Brisbane city's fresh produce markets went under flood water. Only the roofs were above the water.
Yesterday the flood water started to retreat and leave behind a rotting stinking mess. The temperature is in the high 20's C.
There is no more fresh produce for Brisbane from here. It will be imported from southern states and NZ but then the roads are cut and the trucks can't get through.
Major supermarkets are experiencing shortages in supply of basic items including bottled water, bread, meats and fresh produce.
One of the motorways into Brisbane.
So now our super markets look like this;
Meanwhile, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has warned that fruit and vegetable prices will rise due to crop loss and damage caused by the flood inundation.
“The flooding is expected to impact the supply of fresh produce in the coming weeks and months," said AFGC's chief executive Kate Carnell.
“Currently, there’s not a shortage of food and groceries as supplies can be sourced from south of Brisbane.
“Currently, there’s not a shortage of food and groceries as supplies can be sourced from south of Brisbane.
"However the major problem is transport logistics resulting from highway and road closures around the city.
I would like to end on happy note with yet another example of humour being used to ease the stress:
I would like to end on happy note with yet another example of humour being used to ease the stress:
This shot was obviously taken after the warnings but before the inundation.
12,000 volunteers turned up to help people clean out their houses and businesses today.
Yes - Diane. There were at least 50 on Albion Station this morning with mops, spades, brooms and buckets going to the staging point at Boondal. More at Wooloowin, then Eagle Junction, next Toombul and finally where I got off at Nundah. A train load of "buckets, mops, brooms and spades and a real gleam in their eyes". It made me very proud to be a "True Blue Aussie". I actually darn near cried as I shook hands with a couple of 16/17 year olds as did another elderly lady. The "volunteer army" is really on the march - some too old are being sent home, the work is too much for them. It has been stressed that you must be "FIT, STRONG and HEALTHY" - regretably I don't fit this criteria. I might be OK as both you and Bill are, but we would be in the way for shovelling mud for 5 to 6 hours.
ReplyDeleteThe spirit is willing but sense has to prevail.
Great report Diane - nothing left at Woolworths at Nundah, so it is tinned vegetables - the store houses, if you can believe it and I was told by a W/worths supervisor went under. I think "High Ground" will be now considered and about time.
Colin (HB)
It is very amazing to see how well organised your country is. I looked at Bill's blog seeing all those people coming to help. Mostly you see chaos when such a disaster has happened, Haiti, Pakistan, but the Australian people start to clean right away. This is really super, you can be proud on yourselves.
ReplyDeleteThank you once again Diane for a great report on the post-flood situation in Brisbane. It's heartening to know there are so many willing and able volunteers - what a good example they are providing to the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteThe current food shortages must be making things a lot more difficult than they already are, for everyone trapped in the city. Hopefully this situation will improve shortly!
One of the only good things to come out of horrific situations like this is that human kindness surfaces and restores your faith in your fellow man. The scale of it has been unimaginable. xxxx
ReplyDeleteDiane...I'm over here writing about art and potato salad while you and your country are dealing with an outrageous situation. What an impact this is going to have. Went back and checked your other posts...great reporting. Thank you for showing us what is really happening.
ReplyDeleteHumor always helps ! Prices rise ! of course. That's the same here. Too much water, the prices rise, not enough water the prices rise and when nothing happens they rise too ! Not only you loose everything, you also have to spend more on food. Water goes back here, but people can't go home, it's too cold without heating and there is no electricity either. It will take quiet a lot of time to repair all the damages.
ReplyDeleteI love to see the strength of the people who exude the meaning of "when the going gets tough, the tough get going". The Aussie's sound very resilient and resourceful and you should be proud. Praying God helps you through all this mess and to higher ground.
ReplyDeleteDiane, is there anything we can do to help. I thought if you could find some of the organizations helping the people and animals there, I would love to put information and links to them on my blog to help.
ReplyDeleteCan you send me an e-mail with some of these please? I want to help someway, somehow. I cannot believe how beautifully your country is responding to such a tough time -- love their strength!
The sad thing is that it will be the stresses of the immediate 'post-war' that will tear people apart. No food, no income ... the pain not being shared equally.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope not. The lines of shovels yesterday was heartening.
I remember going to Brisbane soon after the 1974 flood and remember how orderly things seemed in such a short time. It's wonderful to see the way people pull together. Once again I've enjoyed your report.
ReplyDeleteThat motorway looks more like a canal! Shall I send a few narrowboats over? Glad to hear people are getting together to start the clean-up but it sounds like life will be tough and disrupted for a while. Thinking of you.
ReplyDelete12,000 volunteers? How wonderful.. That is how Nashville, TN made it through their horrible flood last spring. People just helped people. Nobody belly-ached to the govt. to help... They just helped each other. That is the way it should be.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I am so sorry for what has gone on in your beautiful country... I hope and pray that things will get better soon.
Hugs,
Betsy
Diane,
ReplyDeleteHope things are getting better now...
Oh, My! That looks horrible. I hope things are cleared up soon. Floods cause so much damage.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful that so many people are turning out to help others. That is a marvelous spirit that we often see in times of calamity.
ReplyDeleteDiane and Bill I'm thinking of you! I was a bit worried that the first photo was of Birthday Bear...
ReplyDeleteI know what it was like when Cairns was cut off due to flooding - raid the pantry for tinned food when the supermarkets were bare. I'll send you over a food parcel if you need one (with GOOD chocolate!)
My good friend is stuck in Toowoomba, another has nothing but 2 minute noodles in Brissy, and a third has just only moved to Brissy from Cairns. All are in shock I think, but that QLD spirit is fighting on.
Anything you need Diane, just text me and I'll express post it over for you!
Best of luck,
Cindy
I'm sorry to hear that you have bad floods around Brisbane. Brisbane was my home place years ago when I was a little girl. Hope everything is turning better now.
ReplyDeleteUnimaginable! This post really brings home the lasting after-effects -- we are so used to just being able to go the store and pick up whatever we want, no matter what time of year. I will think about this post next time I go to the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteI hope things are getting better; I admire people for having a sense of humor in these circumstances.
Unimaginable! This post really brings home the lasting after-effects -- we are so used to just being able to go the store and pick up whatever we want, no matter what time of year. I will think about this post next time I go to the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteI hope things are getting better; I admire people for having a sense of humor in these circumstances.
It is all just staggering to think about but at least there is still a sense of humor, that keeps the human spirit strong. It is heartening to know that people are always willing to help each other in a crisis.
ReplyDelete