summary info from sidebar 17th january
Monday 17th January
It is a week today since the disastrous floods in Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley started with a huge opening of the heavens on Monday 10th January. Toowoomba on top of the Great Divide had a disastrous flood power on down through their main street. Grantham, and Murphy's creek communities below the range were devastated by a wall of water off the side of the range, that came rushing through their houses. Killing many (20 to date) and more than 10 still missing. And urgent releases of megalitres of water from our Wivenhoe Dam outside Brisbane to relieve an already over full dam, brought the poeple of our beloved city of Brisbane to their knees on Wednesday with much flooding throughout the lower lying suburbs near and along the river. Many families affected, many now homeless.
After a traumatic week, and an amazing weekend of starting the clean up, the Lord Mayor has declared today Back to Work day, with the opening of the roads, and most of the buildings in the city center.
Unfortunately Queensland's economy will be reeling with the 86 towns and communities that have been affected by major flooding through three quarters of our State.
A small example, the city's ferry system here will take 3 months to get back into operation, as most of the pontoons were damaged or washed down the river. The port of Brisbane has reopened today with the arrival of the first oil tanker. Traffic on the river is hampered by the debris that has washed down the river. The Brisbane Markets have reopened for business this morning after an enormous clean up after being under water, to get fruit and vegetables out to the city and suburbs and beyond. So much dislocation and damage around the State. The premier has done a sterling job at the helm, and has announced an enquiry into the events of the last month, and how we must change to help our response for any possible future events. Heaven forbid that this should happen.
May God bless us we all work together to get the city and state back up and running. And may he also be with all the families who have lost loved ones or homes this last week in this natural disaster...not only here but also down south in Victoria, in Brazil, and Sri Lanka as well.
And thank you for your prayers and loving care and support. It is greatly appreciated that people from all over are concerned and praying.
Saturday and Sunday:
More of the same..a lot of hard work and grotty cleaning up going on all throughout the suburbs. The Lord mayor was pleased with the response for volunteers to be bussed out to affected suburbs to help. He expected 6000 and there were 12,000 arrived. Unfortunately with the reopening of the streets, the traffic is terrible. We are being told, if you don't need to be out in your car, don't go!! Luckily the buses are also running again, so that is great. Funny to see the buses out there again yesterday, after days without them. I wonder if the trains out here are working also yet?
The main effort today on the larger scale is getting the rubbish removed from the streets, and the smaller affected streets re-opened. So trucks and front end loaders were needed for this effort today.
The death toll stands at around 17 and the list of missing has been downgraded to about 14. I think. Most of these are from the worst hit area of Grantham or Lockyer Creek. A small population there but an important rural community where much food (vegetables) for Brisbane and the rest of Queensland is grown. The "salad bowl" it is commonly called. There is currently no salad left in the bowl out there.
86 towns or communities in Queensland currently have been affected by flooding. There are also towns in Victoria and Tasmania who are also experiencing the same thing!
It is a week today since the disastrous floods in Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley started with a huge opening of the heavens on Monday 10th January. Toowoomba on top of the Great Divide had a disastrous flood power on down through their main street. Grantham, and Murphy's creek communities below the range were devastated by a wall of water off the side of the range, that came rushing through their houses. Killing many (20 to date) and more than 10 still missing. And urgent releases of megalitres of water from our Wivenhoe Dam outside Brisbane to relieve an already over full dam, brought the poeple of our beloved city of Brisbane to their knees on Wednesday with much flooding throughout the lower lying suburbs near and along the river. Many families affected, many now homeless.
After a traumatic week, and an amazing weekend of starting the clean up, the Lord Mayor has declared today Back to Work day, with the opening of the roads, and most of the buildings in the city center.
Unfortunately Queensland's economy will be reeling with the 86 towns and communities that have been affected by major flooding through three quarters of our State.
A small example, the city's ferry system here will take 3 months to get back into operation, as most of the pontoons were damaged or washed down the river. The port of Brisbane has reopened today with the arrival of the first oil tanker. Traffic on the river is hampered by the debris that has washed down the river. The Brisbane Markets have reopened for business this morning after an enormous clean up after being under water, to get fruit and vegetables out to the city and suburbs and beyond. So much dislocation and damage around the State. The premier has done a sterling job at the helm, and has announced an enquiry into the events of the last month, and how we must change to help our response for any possible future events. Heaven forbid that this should happen.
May God bless us we all work together to get the city and state back up and running. And may he also be with all the families who have lost loved ones or homes this last week in this natural disaster...not only here but also down south in Victoria, in Brazil, and Sri Lanka as well.
And thank you for your prayers and loving care and support. It is greatly appreciated that people from all over are concerned and praying.
Saturday and Sunday:
More of the same..a lot of hard work and grotty cleaning up going on all throughout the suburbs. The Lord mayor was pleased with the response for volunteers to be bussed out to affected suburbs to help. He expected 6000 and there were 12,000 arrived. Unfortunately with the reopening of the streets, the traffic is terrible. We are being told, if you don't need to be out in your car, don't go!! Luckily the buses are also running again, so that is great. Funny to see the buses out there again yesterday, after days without them. I wonder if the trains out here are working also yet?
The main effort today on the larger scale is getting the rubbish removed from the streets, and the smaller affected streets re-opened. So trucks and front end loaders were needed for this effort today.
The death toll stands at around 17 and the list of missing has been downgraded to about 14. I think. Most of these are from the worst hit area of Grantham or Lockyer Creek. A small population there but an important rural community where much food (vegetables) for Brisbane and the rest of Queensland is grown. The "salad bowl" it is commonly called. There is currently no salad left in the bowl out there.
86 towns or communities in Queensland currently have been affected by flooding. There are also towns in Victoria and Tasmania who are also experiencing the same thing!
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