Australia Floods: 3rd Largest City - "A Ghost Town"
Tonight the centre of the city of Brisbane, Australia's third largest city, has been likened to a ghost town by the Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh.
Power was turned off all over the city earlier today due to rising flood waters. Hotels, office blocks and towering apartment blocks are now without air conditioning, lighting and lifts.
In total, approximately 115,000 homes in Queensland are without power. Many families are struggling as best they can without the everyday conveniences of lighting, hot water, refrigeration, air-conditioning, telecommunication services and cooked meals.
Unprecedented scenes of uncrewed luxury boats, pontoons, barges and even a restaurant (aptly named 'Drift') floating down the river - all on their way to Moreton Bay and open sea.
Weather conditions have improved in the past 24 hours with only isolated showers across south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.
But the death toll for the floods has risen. There are now 12 confirmed dead. Forty three people are still unaccounted for.
The Brisbane River is expected to peak at 4:00am Australian Eastern Standard Time and an estimated 20000-30000 people are likely to be affected by the waters.
Meanwhile the Bremer River in Ipswich peaked at 19.4 metres this afternoon instead of the 22 metres that had been predicted. A welcome relief for the inhabitants of at least 1000 homes who whould have returned to water-logged homes had the waters reached the predicted level.
Approximately 1700 Ipswich residents are still in evacuation centres tonight and thousands more have relocated elsewhere with friends and family. The city is still under water but the worst appears over. The recovery operation is now under way.
The Premier, Anna Bligh, described the circumstances of Ipswich and Brisbane as "very grim" and has warned the residents of Brisbane that they will wake up to a landscape never before seen in Brisbane - one that will be both "shocking" and "unrecognisable".
But at times like this may the Aussie spirit shine brightly.
May we stand by our mates and lend a helping hand.
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Comments
You model it so very well, my friend. This is shocking stuff.....a whole city......God!!!
r
And what are you doing here? I thought you had gone! But, gee, it is good to see you!
Thank you for keeping up with our news and for keeping us in your thoughts and sending kinds words of encouragement and of love. Thank you.
So much infrastructure is already badly damaged. The Premier advised a few hours ago that a floating walkway along the beautiful Brisbane waterfront is being dismantled in sections and will be disposed of as it is presently at risk of ripping away from it's moorings and has the potential to create major damage if caught up in the flood waters. Likewise, a huge party boat/barge called, "The Island", is likely to be scuttled or sunk tonight for the same reason. A 1.5 tonne anchor is being helicoptered in to secure a large ferry further up river that is also at risk of being swept away in the raging waters and thereby potentially causing huge damage as well. Ugh! for sure!!! : (
wish I were there to help!
rated with hugs and more
Debby: Your prayers are so much appreciated and that you would love to help, so very, very generous and thoughtful. Cheers to you lovely lady!
Linda: LOL! I can tell you have been saying so many prayers! Seriously ... thank you so very much. You are a wonderful friend!
cartouche: Don't let something like a "little" flood put you off visiting! We would love to have you visit! I think, for the most part, we are a very civilised society ... you just gotta watch out for those Tasmanian devils though!
THE DEATH TOLL HAS JUST RISEN TO 13.
13 are dead now ... such terrible news. And it seems more to be found yet. Grave fears are held for some of the missing. Terrible news.
All of us there with you ... and you here with us ... a beautiful thought. Such good friends. Thank you.
Rated.
Lezlie
THE RIVER IN BRISBANE PEAKED 2 HOURS AGO.
TWO VERY LONG SECTIONS OF A FLOATING WALKWAY, MADE OF CONCRETE AND STAINLESS STEEL HAVE BROKEN OFF AND ARE CAREERING DOWN THE RIVER WITH THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE EXTRAORDINAR DAMAGE. A TUG BOAT AND POLICE BOAT ARE MANIPULATING THE PIECES, MOVING END TO END, TO ENSURE THEY DO NOT WRAP AROUND THE PYLONS OF MAJOR BRIDGES OVER THE RIVER.
AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB IS BEING PERFORMED BY THE MEN OPERATING THE BOATS.
THE PORT OF BRISBANE IS CLOSED.
I know that it will. My thoughts are with the people being affected by this disaster.
SIGNIFICANT FLOODING RIGHT AROUND THE BRISBANE RIVER.
POLICE HAVE ADVISED THE RIVER HAS OFFICIALLY REACHED IT'S PEAK. THE PEAK HAS BEEN REVISED DOWNWARDS FROM 5.2 METRES TO 4.46 METRES.
AUTHORITIES ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THE LEVEL OF FLOODING WITHIN THE CITY WILL NOT BE AS BAD AS HAD BEEN FEARED.
UNOFFICIAL WARNINGS THOUGH THAT THE WATER MAY TAKE DAYS TO SUBSIDE.
UNCONFIRMED REPORTS: THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH THEFT AFTER STEALING ITEMS SUCH AS LUXURY BOATS AND PONTOONS THAT HAVE SNAGGED ALONG THE RIVER BANK.
54 BRISBANE SUBURBS AT RISK.
FLOODS LIKELY TO AFFECT 40,000 PROPERTIES AND 20000 HOMES WILL BE INUNDATED WITH WATER.
120,000 HOMES CURRENTLY WITHOUT POWER.
POWER WILL BE RESTORED TO SOME HOMES TODAY THAT HAVE ESCAPED BEING WATER AFFECTED.
2100 BRISBANE ROADS ARE FLOOD AFFECTED.
Just Thinking: Yes the effects of this will be felt for some time yet. Rising costs of fruit and vegetables; major infrastructure damage and so on. I appreciate you coming by to read.
THE OFFICIAL CONFIRMED DEATH TOLL CURRENTLY REMAINS AT 12. A BODY OF A MAN WAS FOUND IN A CAR IN IPSWICH LATE YESTERDAY HOWEVER AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AS TO WHETHER THIS DEATH IS A RESULT OF THE FLOOD DISASTER.
THE NUMBER OF MISSING PEOPLE HAS BEEN REVISED UPWARDS AND NOW STANDS AT 78.
QUEENSLANDERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO BOIL DRINKING WATER DUE TO RISK OF CONTAMINATION.
Sophieh: I hadn't intended to become a reporter and not sure that I am a good one but do appreciate that you appreciate this! Cheers for now.
Ablonde: Thank you too. I am most definitely safe and well. Just reporting here on what is happening for others just north of me.
How many hectares of farmland are affected, any idea?
I remember when my house was destroyed by water (from a heating pipe upstairs). Every single aspect of my life was touched - it felt like I had been turned upside down, for many months. It is very difficult to imagine an entire city having this happen to them. Mind boggling.
Thank you for bringing this to us. We've been a little preoccupied with the Giffords shooting, it's hard to remember there is a world outside as well.
all Aussie's affected. And I know too that the good old Aussie spirit will definitely shine through ... we're a hardy bunch down under! For sure!
lizw9: I don't know about this being an excellent report ... but thank you so much anyway! Yep, the Aussie spirit is gonna shine! She'll be right, mate! ; )
pastvoices: You are so very dear. Thank you! I appreciate it ... very much.
But how much of that is actually farmland, I'm not too sure. If I can find out I'll get back to you.
I understand that Queensland has a total land area of 1,722,000 sq kilometres ... so therefore calculate that approximately 1,291,500 sq kilometres are affected. Some of Australia's most fertile and productive land area is under water.
By the way, don't you talk in 'acres' over there?
And, oh dear, you had a house destroyed by water? I am so sorry to hear that. So you will know very well what many are facing. I can only imagine. It is what I feared when my daughter's home looked as though it was going to go under. She had very little with her and nothing was insured.
It is mind boggling that this is happening to an entire capital city but thankfully it is not as bad as was feared. Small and big business alike are all closed down in the city for now. No power to the CBD. Hopefully waters will recede quickly and the recovery process can begin soon.
THANK YOU! You are the first to say something of my very first EP!
I'm smiling.
But you know what? This is going to sound really ungrateful ... but I don't write here for EP's. It is nice and it certainly made me smile but it is not why I'm here.
And besides ... I would much, much prefer an EP for poetry or something that I had poured my heart and soul into and not reporting news. I know I'm not a good enough poet but one day perhaps if I had an EP for poetry ... or more so, if any one of my wonderful friends who are much better poets than I were to receive an EP for a poem ...that would make my smile so much bigger.
Having said all that ... you REALLY make me smile with this ....
... and to think, i knew her when she was just a poet
LOL!!!! That is just the funniest and loveliest thing!
♥
catch-22: I think it's a good attitude to have. We're a pretty optimistic bunch and our attitude seems to help with many things. Sometimes, just sometimes, we're too laid back for our own good. But under desperate circumstances like these ... that attitude will pull many through.
mLee: Ah, what wonderful encouragement!!!! Smiling again!!!! I'll try! No guarantees! But EP's? Yeah right! No problemo!!!!! (And regardless of EP's ... I will always remember you.)
r
There is also the threat of contaminated water now too. Residents are being advised to drink bottled water or boil water. Water is being transported to some towns because supplies of fresh water have been affected.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. Much appreciated.