Australian Floods

Not tractor related but may be of interest.

Here are photos taken an hour or so ago in the City of Toowoomba:

The City of Toowoomba (pop approx 120,000) is located 90 kilometers west of Brisbane and almost mid way between Brisbane and Dalby, another town currently flooded for the second time in five days.

In the last hour or so I understand nine people have been rescued with a further two still missing.

(Update: I believe there are now three people dead, two still missing.)















The Coffee Club is only 300 meters or so from our Toowoomba office, although our office is on higher ground and not affected by the floods.

I drove home from Brisbane to Roma (500 kms) yesterday through horrific storms with visability down to around 200 meters, shortly before the highway was closed between Jondaryn and Dalby. Flooding is a problem but entire sections of the Highway have simply disappeared.

My home town of Roma is currently cut off in all directions, although - thankfully - the town is not flooded again.

Richard - saw your note on the other thread. Yes, am back home in Australia after a two to three week break in Asia. Unfortunately, I brought back a filthy cold which is sapping my energy.

Bob in Oz
'53 TEA20

Hope you and yours are safe and dry.
One way to look at any disaster such as this is an "Urban renewal program" (LOL).
I worked in an auo shop years ago that was flooded overnight. My tools went for a swim and clean up was long.

Best Australian flood photos I've seen are from the [b:40117555d0]Boston Globe[/b:40117555d0]!

The floods have now turned into a national disaster, with an area greater than Germany and France combined, now under flood waters.

It has now been raining for 40 days - know exactly how Noah felt!

Bob

I believe this is now the biggest flood in Queensland in recorded history.

Thanks for the pics Bob(A); I hope you and your tractor is OK.

- TS

I've been to Toowoomba and it is tragic to see what has happened there and across the region. My wife and I plan to send a donation to the Australian Red Cross to help.

Amazing, all the water/damage/etc. & the light is still on in 2nd picture & later traffic signal still working!

I also, heard reports of crocks and snakes being washed into the cities from the country.

Take care Bob keep us posted.

My properties in Roma and Brisbane are all on high ground and never at risk of flooding. My toys - the Fergy, two Jags and my boat - are all in dry storage. The town of Roma is cut off in all directions, food supplies are low, but that is no great burden. The Roma airport is still open.

This is an unprecedent event. To understand, Toowoomba is a regional city on top of a 2,000 foot mountain range! When the flood water in Toowoomba flowed down the range, the water rose 3 meters in ten minutes in the upper Brisbane Valley at Esk and Gatton. Further west, the town of Dalby has flooded five times since early December, twice in the past week.

The flood waters are now headed to the State capital, Brisbane.

This morning now eight dead and eleven missing with up to thirty people unaccounted for. The impact on resident families and their homes is horrific. And the area innundated is unbelievable - flooding now ranges over 2,000 miles of the Australian east coast, from Cairns in the north, into central New South Wales in the south, and up to 200 - 300 miles in land.

Broad acre farm crops, wheat, sorghum/milo and cotton have been destroyed around Dalby and cattle properties have experiencing stock losses. Our major export, coal, has creased due to mine flooding and rail links cut.

And it is still raining.......

I recently reread Nevil Shute's book, "In the Wet".

Funny you mention author Neville Shute.

I admire his achievements as an aeronautical engineer, designer and inventor. His true name is Neville Norway (1899 - 1960), designer of the R100 Airship and founder of the Airspeed Aircraft Company.

In many respects, he was very similar to Harry Ferguson.

His aeronautical achievements are recounted in his sutobiography [i:d5b083c01c]Slide Rule[/i:d5b083c01c], which is an excellent read. He also wrote many books set in the Australian Outback.

Three quarters of Queensland has now been declared a disaster zone. Brisbane is predicted to flood two meters above the previous record set in 1974. Yesterday Toowoomba received 150 mm (6 inches) of rain in one 30 minute period. The entire population of Chinchilla, 200 kms east of Roma, are currently being evacuated.

There is no fresh food left in Roma. Woolworths Supermarket this afternoon...



The only thing left in the fruit and vege section is lemons and limes!



Freezer section all sold out.



A couple of packets of local lamb chops is all that is left in the meat section.

Similarly, no bread, eggs or milk left in town - even the UHT milk is sold out!

But we're amongst the fortunate few, at least our town has not flooded again.

Bob

Actually Nevil Shute Norway lived in the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.[Somers I think}Remember he getting lots of telegrams in the fifties when I was relieving Postal Clerk [telegraphist] at Frankston Post Office..Bright eyed and bushy tailed youngster. The best known was probably "On the Beach" filmed in Melboune, Ava and Gregory starred. Ava made some derogatory comment about Melbourne but who remembers..

Here"s a link that has some video (about 1/2 way down the page) shot from an apartment showing the rise of the water in the space of about 3 minutes.

Truly frightening reminder of who is in charge of natural forces.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40996681/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?GT1=43001

Can somebody explain how to get a hyperlink to show on these posts? TIA Dave

Dave

Can somebody explain how to get a hyperlink to show on these posts?

Click to expand...

This - remove the spaces:

[U R L = www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40996681/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?GT1=43001]Truly frightening reminder [ / U R L ]

Should give you this:

Truly frightening reminder

Can't guarantee that will work and with Edit disabled, can't go back and change the post.

Bob in Oz



www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40996681/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?GT1=43001

The US President called the Australian Prime Minister yesterday afternoon offering US support and assistance for the victims of the Australian floods, which now affect five out of six States and one Territory.

On behalf of all Australians and particularly those affected by flooding in Queensland - a very sincere thank you!

Yesterday the Brisbane Lord Mayor called for 6,000 volunteers to help with the clean up in Brisbane. After 55,000 turned up, the rest had to be turned away due to lack of transport!

They need 6,000 volunteers again today - but think they can manage and transport up to 70,000 if necessary.

Thank you America!

Bob in Oz