Australian floods worsen

[Miss Chicken]

A search and rescue operation has begun in south-east Queensland for scores of people reported missing in devastating flash floods.
Seven people are dead after flash floods yesterday hit the Darling Downs town of Toowoomba and several smaller townships in the Lockyer Valley.
Four people died in Toowoomba, two women and a child have died at Grantham and nearby at Withcott police say nine people are missing.
At least 50 people have sought refuge in a primary school at Grantham.
Police say more than 40 people were rescued from rooftops by helicopter overnight.

Rest of article here


Before yesterday most of the people who have died have been people trying to drive through flood waters or else people who have been foolish enough to be swimming in flood waters.



Video of the Toowoomba flash flooding


[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEBIZ2KLsPA[/yt]

 

[The First Joel]

Saw a video of this last night from a friend who lives in Toowoomba. And then heard the news on the radio this morning.

 

[Miss Chicken]

A list of the Brisbane suburbs that are expected to experience flooding today

• Albion
• Auchenflower
• Bowen Hills
• Brisbane City
• Bulimba
• Chelmer
• Coorparoo
• East Brisbane
• Fairfield
• Fig Tree Pocket
• Fortitude Valley
• Graceville
• Hemmant
• Indooroopilly
• Kangaroo Point
• Lytton
• Milton
• Moggill
• Murrarie
• New Farm
• Newstead
• Norman Park
• Oxley
• Pinkenba
• Rocklea
• Sherwood
• South Brisbane
• Tennyson
• Yeronga
• Yerongpilly
• Windsor
• Wacol

One of my nieces and her partner lives in Milton. My other niece, husband and children lives in Anstead (a suburb that isn't listed as being in danger). My son's best friend lives in Redcliffe which is 28 km northeast of Brisbane.

 

[Australis]

At least 8 dead. And people have reported seeing bodies in the water.

 

[Count Zero]

How terrible. How much longer will those floods last?

 

[Miss Chicken]

Probably for a while yet. The flooding started in early December. The area affected by the floods is about the size of France and Germany combined.

 

[Count Zero]

It has been in the news here for a while, but until recently, there had been remarkably few deaths.

 

[Trilliam]

Have friends in Oakey (as well as closer into Brissy).

 

[The First Joel]

It has been in the news here for a while, but until recently, there had been remarkably few deaths.

Indeed. Areas from Rockhampton down to rivers area of NSW. In Toowoomba, there are around 70 people missing, after it was it was hit by a flash flood and 8 metres of water, and flood warnings have been announced for Ipswich and some areas of Brisbane.

 

[Trilliam]

Keeping an eye on the Far North Coast of NSW - have friends in Mullumbimby too.

 

[The First Joel]

They say this could be the worse flood in Australia's history. Watching the midday ABC news now.

 

[Trilliam]

I'm listening to ABC Qld local radio via computer. (I'm in Sydney).

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have just been looking at Google Maps. My niece's home in Milton is located 700-800 meters from the Brisbane River. I think that that means her house should be out of the flood region.

 

[Trilliam]

The list has Milton on it. The only Brisbane suburbs I'm really familiar with are Auchenflower and Mitchelton. I'm a Sydney-sider.

 

[Miss Chicken]

People are being evacuated along the Brisbane area. I don't think it has reached Milton yet. I think my niece and her partner would be at work, unless they decided to stay home.

Has anyone heard anything about Goondiwindi? I have cousins living Goondiwindi and also nearby at Texas.

Edited to add - the only mention I can so far find concerning Goondiwindi says

Meanwhile, a severe weather warning has been issued for much of south-east Queensland, including Brisbane and the south-east coast, Darling Downs and the Granite Belt south-east of Dalby to Goondiwindi.

Now I have found this

The town of Goondiwindi, which sits on the border of Queensland and New South Wales is also preparing for flooding at the moment

 

[Trilliam]

They're saying that they expect the Dumaresq River to peak near Texas at 9metres over night tonight. Their starting to evacuate lower Oakey.

 

[Trilliam]

Miss Chicken, go to abc.net.au and you can get ABC Qld radio streaming online - I've been listening all day. They're saying that they think this will be at least as big a flood in Brissy as the 1970's flood.

It's expected to hit Warwick today or tomorrow. I guess Tenterfield will be next.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I am listening to the radio now (something I rarely do). Just listening the the PM speak.

 

[Captain_Nick]

I was booked for speeding in Toowoomba a couple of years ago

When I vowed revenge this isn't exactly what I had in mind

 

[JiNX-01]

My God, I can't believe how horrible that flooding is. The video shows two guys standing in waist-high water. Are they nuts?