HOLY *&^(*^ING &&)(&).

i haven't heard about this yet on my server, pilgrims progress... thank you for posting this.  and please keep us updated...

from what i know of the continent, queensland is a HUGE area... 3/4 of the state is a disaster zone?!?!?

thats MASSIVE.

you bet that prayers are coming your way... and for your step-daughter as well. 

The CBC posted an article this morning....

Australia flood waters threaten Brisbane
 

Pilgrim and her Australian kith and kin are in our thoughts.

Beannachd Dia dhuit
(blessings of God be with you)

My prayers are with you Pilgrim, this is absolutely a major catastrophic event.

Are Australians receiving any aid from other countries?

Australia has been in my thoughts and prayers lately.  I have family from both my mom and dad's side who live in Australia, and my younger sister is 99.9% sure she's moving there in a couple of years.  Luckily, none of our family lives in Queensland, but I can pray for others' families that live there.

Pilgrim - it must be tough for you, and all Aussies, to hear and see this level of devastation.   This afternoon my partner and me watched some video coverage - and we just sat and wept.  I'm hoping for no more deaths.  Houses, stores, schools can be replaced but not people.

I'd like to send all Aussies a supportive and comforting hug - maybe a bit of top quality chocolate too.

There are no words, Pilgrim....only deep sadness and quiet entreaty. 

Wow - that is crazy! My prayers are with all those effected. Brisbane is where my minister's daughter lives.

Pilgrim - even down in this corner of Eastern Canada,we've been hearing about the flooding in Australia.  I just got out my high school atlas and checked the maps.  Queensland is in the north-east and it is indeed a large land area with a varied climate and vegetation.  The flooding must be awful.  I'm trying to imagine people cut off - towns inaccessible - children - pets - old people.  Memories, hopes, dreams buried under muddy water.   My heart breaks.  It seems that we are hearing disaster after disaster (some man-made - like that shooting in the US - and others nature turning against us).  What can I say?   I pray for the people of Australia.  You've brought it alive, with the knowledge that your step-daughter might be flooded.  A known person among the many, many nameless.  Pilgrim, my thoughts are with you.

Thanks for your support, folks.

Even here in Sydney, four of the five main television channels have suspended normal programmes and are just covering the flood crisis.

Here is an update.

Brisbane is not expected to reach the peak until tomorrow.

It is our third largest city - with a population of two million.

The port has been closed to all shipping - it's far too dangerous.

Cars, containers - even a floating restaurant have been seen rushing down the main river.

At present 1,500 homes are under water , with many more expected.

The Premier's own mother had to be evacuated from her house due to flooding. She was close to tears when she told us how her brother's had to arrange it  ( - presumably because the poor Premier had to cope with running the state).

My step-daughter's former home is now under water - I'm just hoping her present house will be safe.  Even if it is, they still might need to be evacuated as their suburb has many low laying areas. This often means that electricity, water and sewerage have to be disconnected to the entire suburb.

In northern New South Wales four areas have now also been declared national disaster zones due to flooding.

Of course, the real heartbreak will happen when the flood waters subside. Folks return to houses either completely demolished or covered in foul smelling thick brown mud.

Those that can afford it will move to less flood prone areas - but most can't. That's why those that are more fortunate have been asked to contribute to a national appeal. I'm pleased to say that there was a queue waiting at my bank this morning when I donated.

Amazing.

One day it's no water, the next this!

IT

Russ

Pilgrim's Progres....

In addition, I will be thinking of the farmers...those who may have lost all their sheep. 

thinking of all those who are worried about what will come....or what they have lost already.  Take care.  Know that we are aware although we have no powers or abilities to stop or rectify.

peace to you this day.

My prayers are with you Pilgrim's Progress - and with Australia.

My thoughts and prayers have been with Australia. I have a friend  in Sydney who has family affected by flooding.

I was asked about an emergency response initiative at church on Sunday. I, sadly, had no information of the UCCan starting one as of yet.

We set aside that and as soon as the UCCan starts that fund, and I am confident they will, it will be sent along. If, for some reason, it does not happen, we will look for other organizations to donate it to.

Again I've gone to my trusty old atlas.  I see the river Denham runs down from the Great Divide and through the city of Brisbane.  And Sydney is further down this same coast.   So, so, so sad.   

As an aside and an example of the interconnectedness of our planet, yesterday one of our residents told me her grandson lives in Brisbane.  From my little town in Muskoka to a city in Australia there is a connection and wishes of hope expand....

I've been following the story on the news....what a catastrophe, with unbelievable devastation!

I am glad you are safe, Pilgrim's Progress.   I am keeping Australia and all those people affected by the flooding in my houghts and prayers

PP - we've been hearing for the last few years of drought conditions in the rest of Australia. How is the rest of the country doing? Is it now wetter than usual, or is it only Queensland that is wet and the rest of the continent still in drought? (My wife insists that the whole of the country is flooded or will be soon).  Just wondering.

I have also been following this devastating story on the news, PilgrimsProgress. I am holding the many, many people affected by this flooding in my thoughts, in my heart. Please keep us posted as this catastrophe continues to unfold.

It's 7am, Thursday here in Sydney - and I've awoken to find that I've been affected by the Qld floods in a most unexpected way.

I wanted to do some internet banking - and found that it wasn't possible.

My credit union has it's headquarters in Brisbane and it's in the CBD where the power etc has been cut.  We have been assured that all our records etc are safe - but for the moment - no banking!

At the moment it's a minor irritation - but compared to those living in the flood area it's nothing.

In Brisbane the expected peak has been reached at 4.6 metres. This is lower than the 1974 floods - but there is more devastation due to a larger population and more infrastructure.

115,000 households in Qld are without power - which, in a tropical climate, is devastating.

In Rockhampton there is a food poisoning outbreak -due to water and food contamination.

In St George, volunteers searching farming properties have been bitten by stray dogs.

Whilst floods are common at this time of year - there is real concern that climate change may be an influence.

Waters off Australia are the warmest ever measured- and these waters provide moisture to the atmosphere for the Queensland and northern Australia monsoons. (it's monsoon season now).

Once again folks, thanks for your concern.

All of the east coast of Australia is wetter than usual.

As well as the floods in Qld, many areas of northern New South Wales are in flood.

Victoria is experiencing heavy rains - which is expected to lead to flooding.

Conversely, the west coast - Western Austalia - is hot and dry. The south east of the state is very dry and the capital Perth is on water restrictions. They're been experiencing bushfires in W.A. - and some houses have been lost. 

Again I've got out my trusty atlas (I know anyone living in the 21st century should be using the computer for the most up-to-date info - but I don't think Australia's geography has changed much in the last 60 years). 

I've found all the places you mention, Pilgrim, and then switched to the temperature, precipitation, and vegetation maps.  It seems that Australia is a land of extremes with the north and east coasts well watered (too well this year), but much of the country hot and dry.  There's a range of mountains or highlands called the Great Divide along the east - I guess, with ocean currents and prevailing winds (I don't have those on my map) this range does divide the country.  

Too bad you couldn't find a way to send this water west, to water the desert and refil the resevoirs in Perth.  

Aw Pilgrim.  The whole country must be mourning. 

Here in Brisbane the flood waters have reached their peak - but as you can see they're falling slowly. This man has managed to get to his house and find that only the top level has been spared.

seeler,

That trusty  old atlas of yours is getting an Aussie workout!

A poem by one of our early settlers - known by all Aussies - says it best.

 Here is the second verse:

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!

Oh gosh - I have been following this event for a few days now ... we've been seeing quite a lot of news coverage on TV.  The power of the water is incredible.    Hard to even imagine such an experience as people are having there.   You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

It's hard to imagine for a prairie dawg that there can be such devastation from water.  Hail, blizzards...yes, but water seems so innocent to me.  Not. 

Continued thoughts with you and yours, pilgrim.

Once we had enough rain to flood the TransCanada highway!  Several towns got inundated too - but nothing on the scale of Australia's devastation.

i wouldn't be surprised if global climate shift was indeed influencing this particular round of floods... the icepack in the canadian arctic has been shrinking at an alarming rate, and has accelerated in the past couple of years.  in the antarctic, the ross ice shelf will completely collapse within the next decade, if all the accounts i read are correct...

that water has to go somewhere.

the problem will be that the oceans have a 'long memory', as a friend of mine who studies the arctic would say... it takes a long time for the temperature in the oceans to go up, but once they rise, it takes a very long time for them to go back down again...

The floodwaters are receding in Brisbane and the big clean-up is underway.

My step-daughter and family were fortunate - only their yard is a muddy mess.

She and her husband are both university lecturers at different universities.

But both universities are situated on the main river - so they have been told they can't resume employment until the flood damage is rectified.

The good news is that she can now accompany their eldest daughter to her first day at High School - instead of a friend doing the deed.

On the news last night we heard it's now Victoria that's experiencing flooding........

 Pilgrim's Progress, I remember when we had a major flood in our city many years ago.  I was a teenager.

Memories

 People saved from the rushing water

 The shouts of help coming from people clinging to the side of a warehouse at night, whose boat had been tipped over

  The smell of the mud and garbage from the receeding water

   The damage and heart break of store and home owners 

   The mud that was like cement as it dried

    The sales from stores of damaged goods from the stores.

Thinking of you and your familie and friends andtheir families and friends as they deal with the massive cleanup.  Good to see so many going to help.

This is what the clean up after the Qld floods entails.

It's a massive task - but there are many volunteers.

Pinga,

Like you, the residents affected, won't forget the experience. The stench from rotting food, carpets,etc is awful.

As it's the tropics, folks have been told that if the power was off for more than 24 hours, they're to empty their fridges and freezers. Rubbish containers have been placed in flood affected suburbs for that purpose.

Interesting on CBC radio  this morning - some discussion about where stuff that "washed away" actually washes away TO ... i.e. the rivers open to lakes or to the ocean ... how much debris ends up there & how hazardous it may be to harbour traffic, ocean shipping, fishing industry etc.   Vehicles, buildings ... lots of large & small objects.

There's also the issue of toxic waste & pollution washing out to sea.   The Great Barrier Reef is offshore from Queensland & is likely to experience influence from this - which I see from a quick google check about it.    

I hadn't  thought about these aspects. 

Pilgrims - your photos remind me of those in New Orleans after the flooding from the hurricane a few years ago.

carolla,

The main river in Brisbane is a concern - concrete walkways, pontoons, boats of all shapes and sizes, cars, etc. were all seen being swept away.

There is talk of sending in a navy minesweeper to find out exactly what lays lying in the mud.

Meanwhile the clean-up continues - with more than 55,000 volunteers registered. The Flood Relief Appeal stands at $55 million.

But just as things are improving in Qld, the flooding in Victoria is worsening...........

truly extraordinary Pilgrims ...

My minister's daughter lives in Brisbane and has been affected by the flooding. Apparently she has the greatest attitude about it - the day before the floods came (they had warning) she was talking to her Mom on the phone and said, "Don't worry about me. Mom - I can swim!" She has been able to return to work, but is spending all of her spare time cleaning. Apparently the stench in her neighbourhood is horrific and she has to wear gumboots whenever she goes out.

You can't grow up in this country without plenty of resilience - I think it's in our DNA! 

LOL - that might be true - but she grew up in Canada!

I think many of us who grew up in Canada developed a lot of resilience too.

Wherever resilience is developed - it's a great asset to have as one ages.

To quote Bette Davis - "old age ain't for sissies".

I'm thinking particularly of this elderly woman I saw on the tv news - whose daughter and son-in-law brought her back to see her flooded home.

The look of shock and dismay as she surveyed the muddy mess that was once her familiar living room will stay with me.

Brisbane, Jan 14

Aussies are made of stern stuff.  Look at this blue heeler(?) surf

Toowoomba floods

((((((((((Australia)))))))))))

Someone just sent me this video so I thought I would post it. We had a flood here a few years back  where cars were floating down the street but nothing like this. We got caught in it and drove about a mile on sidewalks and lawns to get home. Scary!  The car was drenched up to the seats.

God be with all the people in Australia as they go through this extreme devastation.

Man oh man, unbelieveable Stardust...it just doesn't seem to know how to stop down there.

First floods - now cyclone Yasi is heading towards the coast of Queensland.

At the moments it's a category 5 - with winds up to 300Klms.

It is expected to cover a large area of north Queensland - 600 klms, with a tidal surge in some places to be 6-7 metres.

The patients in Cairns hospitals have already been evacuated to Brisbane.

Those living in low lying areas are heading for cyclone proof shelters.

Others who choose to stay are being told to stay in the smallest room in their house (which is usually the most structurally sound) - and if necessary shelter there under mattresses.

Australians live with floods, cyclones, droughts and bushfires - it's a country of climate extremes.

Global warming experts warn that the world will experience greater climate extremes.

My poor country is in for a rough time.

Oh, those poor people!   This is all they need!  

What can I say but 'Keep a stiff upper lip' and 'hunker down for the duration'.    Seriously, it must be heartbreaking.  

oh no-- and we stayed hometoday  because of a bit 'o' snow.  And our paper hasn't arrived yet.  Poor us.

Prayers for Australia - for good ideas, grand solutions, safe havens. 

How are people feeling about the idea of a new tax to cover the costs?  I read that the new PM was proposing one mostly for wealthy folks to spread the wealth a little where it was needed.

 Pilgrims', I will be thinking of you all today.  I saw some of the footage this morning of people preparing...hope that people are safe.

This must be terrifying for those in the path of the cyclone (or have loved ones there).  I'm sending 'safety thoughts' to everyone there.

Oh those poor people Pilgrim.  One thing right after another, I'll pray for their resiliency to overcome the obstacles that have been placed before them. (and wonder how resilient I would be)

Reading and watching the news, Pilgrims, and admiring the courage of the people facing this newest hardship.  Hard to imagine what it must be like.

Keeping your country and your people in thoughts and prayers.