[Edit - What started as sharing some footage of a flash flood, has turned into a thread about the unfolding flooding disaster to hit Australia's third largest city - Brisbane. We are safe where we are, have power, clean water and enough food. Others have not been so fortunate.]
Toowoomba is maybe an hour away from us, Up river. Some bloke in an office caught a rising creek on video. Amazing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYUpkPTcqPY
Here's some snaps during the event...
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh258/0dzy/Toowoomba%20Floods/35620_176199625752836_100000883982921_365194_3086264_n.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh258/0dzy/Toowoomba%20Floods/162617_176201292419336_100000883982921_365233_7073826_n.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh258/0dzy/Toowoomba%20Floods/163870_176199962419469_100000883982921_365222_7689324_n.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh258/0dzy/Toowoomba%20Floods/165773_176199732419492_100000883982921_365202_4849823_n.jpg)
Updated numbers have it as 8 dead and 70+ missing.
The state's capital city (Brisbane) main three dams are all Over normal capacity and releasing water with inner city suburbs being evacuated and parts of the CBD getting closed off. Brisbane is also down river from the above event and the below releases.
Wivenhoe Dam is considered full at 1,165,238 megaliters it has the ability to hold doube that and is currently close with 2,049,705ml - they are releasing water at 173,000ml a day, increased it to 250,000 but have now, just an hour ago increased the releases to 344,000 megalitres a day and it may need to be increased to around 516,000 megalitres a day by Wednesday 12 January to cope with the influx of water coming into the catchment.
Somerset Dam is considered full at 379,849 and is currently at 610,740. They were releasing 93,000 ml a day but have ceased release until Wivenhoe is a little more empty as water released from this dam eventually makes its way into the other. But this will create flooding upstream. No win situation here.
The three largest dams - main dams - are currenly sitting at 164% of capacity - which is 100% capacity plus 64% of flood mitigation reserve capacity.
This was the entrance to Somerset Dam at around 100%
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TSvdyWbwEdI/AAAAAAAAAes/eoVh6xHAckw/SomerSetDam.jpg)
This is yesterday morning and it'd be higher this morning...
(http://www.seqwater.com.au/public/sites/default/files/userfiles/Spit-2011_with-text.jpg)
Michael
:o
Was listening to the radio report this morning, and it's still raining! You guys in Queensland are getting kicked while you're down. My thoughts and prayers are with you
I hope no one down there has any family that is in the area, and that everyone is ok. Terrible situation for sure.
Email from a friend down there:
Unreal. This happened yesterday in Toowoomba which is west of Brisbane. 9 died and 66 people are missing. Really sad. They are evacuating parts of Brisbane right now. The River will peak tomorrow with 6,000 homes expected to be flooded and 16,000 others affected. I've talked to Brian Ravensberg and he and his family are staying home and watching the river rise. Brian say's he's got the camera ready and will send photos through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEBIZ2KLsPA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyaA7GFHwoc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYUpkPTcqPY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOWbl_mjgr0&NR=1
We live about 180 miles from Toowoomba.
We are flooded in at our place. The two roads out of here are flooded over and the Pacific Hwy. (I-5 equivalent) is closed near us due to being flooded. It's wet on the East and Fires in Perth. Our house is up on stilts and the water is not even near it.
Quote from: Twism86 on January 11, 2011, 12:31:42 PM
I hope no one down there has any family that is in the area, and that everyone is ok. Terrible situation for sure.
I'm in Ipswich and central Ipswich has been evacuated as one of the rivers runs right through town. Main shopping center carpark went under last night - stores will be fine cause the center is built High, but the older stores outside that shopping center are all ground level and they won't fair so good. Flood warning for Brisbane city estimate 6500 houses will go under. Roads are cut everywhere. I have friends in towns from up north who cannot get home cause the entire town is cut off, other local friends who are cut off from all access. Nearby suburbs, I am told by riding buddies, have gas stations under, RSL under and thus everything around them and nearly cutting off main motorway which would cut the entire city in two.
This road is a Major arterial Rd across the city. At this time of the morning this Traffic Cam image would normally be Full of cars. Now it just looks like a lake
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TSy5wYvRBWI/AAAAAAAAAfA/wpfB9hG_2p0/FloodRd.jpg)
One of the roads I ride on on the weekend and the town near it. This is half hour away.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TSy6W2Om3MI/AAAAAAAAAfE/haJkelT0mSg/eskhampton.jpg) (http://lh5.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TSy6XK6UaJI/AAAAAAAAAfI/1ZHhPBxL730/esk2.jpg)
It's not just the flash flood from the first post. But the continual 6 weeks of rain, high tide in the river and ALL dams full and releasing or spilling over.
Michael
Wow, that's bad. I've heard of all of the flooding but are there any agencies helping you guys out. It looks as if it could turn Katrina-ish if not careful. Those dams break and well I'm sure we can't even imagine those consequences.
I'll be praying for you folks down there.
Mary
New Update: 9 dead, 90 missing. 40,000 homes likely to be flooded. :o
I just drove up the road, the town center was under but you could drive around it. Following various blocked road signs I was diverted across the river then not allowed back over WTF? For the last two hours I've been driving around every possible road that goes back over the river trying to get home and they are ALL under water. So it looked like I was going to be leaving the car and walking back home. Then I heard on the local radio that the police were going to allow two way traffic on that particular bridge (of course, there is nothing wrong with it and it didn't make sense to close it off anyway). So I found my way back and was in the first batch of cars over. Once over it was only ten minutes to home.
In my driving around I have already seen homes under up to their roof. Other streets with water on both sides of the streets (peninsular like) and the water rising. I feel they will lose their homes.
I had intended to go to the Lookout that has a view of our town, and to take other photos of the flooding waters, but by the time I was allowed back over the bridge I was not really in a state to do so.
Town center. two streets over away from the worst of it as you go up the hill. Bad here, Much worse in the center of town as you'll see.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TSzdkg65OHI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/bfEiZSrx9NY/FloodIppy1.jpg)
Center of town. Water already to shop front roof levels. The awning you see on the right with water lapping, is a supermarket. All their stock will be lost. This road keeps going down further. There is a pub, car yard, caravan yard, pizzahut, indian restaurant, dry cleaners, homes, furniture and electrical retailers, and so on. ALL of them are submerged below the water line.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TSzdkruUgzI/AAAAAAAAAfU/bc49OS6B0G4/FloodIppy2.jpg)
The bridge they allowed me to cross one way but not the other. The otherside of the bridge has homes everywhere going under as it's somewhat flatter in a lot of places and an older part of town where homes were built near the water.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TSzdk9rCUuI/AAAAAAAAAfg/-0wiWWHq4WQ/FloodIppy5.jpg)
And while the water rises around our town and the major city half hour away with the river already bursting the banks, the rain has stopped and the sun is shining. It's quite surreal. Shining sun, people everywhere taking photos, water rising and engulfing homes like some creeping unstoppable brown blob of destruction.
The dam has held back releases to 250,000ml to ease the downstream flooding during peak tide. It'll help, a little.
We are safe where we are. But it is estimated one third of our town/city will go under. As many as 4000 homes where we are with 1500 already effected and 1200 people now residing in emergency evacuation centers in our small town, and over 20,000 in the main city. Two inland towns are looking to be flooded out, while the major population centers many hours north are finally having their flood waters receding only to head to other towns. At least the sun is shining.
Michael
Tx for reports, Mister.The extent of the flooding is almost unbelievable. All u guys up there are in our thoughts and prayers and anything we can possibly do to help from down here in Sydney. Luck.
News brief... revised missing down to 67, 10 dead. 75% - 80% of the state is a Flood Disaster Zone.
The local Honda/Suzuki/Kawasaki shop moved out all their stock. I whipped by there ...
See water on left
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TS0KtoSXi6I/AAAAAAAAAfo/KuCMF6_v10I/FloodIppy6.jpg)
From the other angle. By the way, there is a bridge under the water, and below that, another, lower lying bridge. That is how little the river here gets a lot of water - so little they build a lower bridge over it. This same spot can be seen on Google St View at this link (http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Robertson+Rd,+Eastern+Heights+Queensland+4305,+Australia&ll=-27.622407,152.747911&spn=0,0.013937&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=-27.622407,152.747911&panoid=XIHX_hn51oUsp3I_koU7ug&cbp=12,206.65,,0,9.71) and satellite version shows how tiny that creek normally is.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TS0Kt0vxD3I/AAAAAAAAAfs/sty9LFXZVZE/FloodIppy7.jpg)
The river that flows through Ipswich is the Bremer river and at the time of the photo above, it has maybe another meter to rise. The Bremer eventually feeds into the Brisbane River. As both are swollen by their own volumes, joined together is disaster. With 80 suburbs to be effected.
I've already heard that Rocklea is flooding - that's where the Traffic Cam pic is from. If it goes fully under there, then Brisbane and its one million people will be without food as that is where the fresh produce markets are! The markets are nearby a stormwater thoroughfare, so it's not looking good at the moment.
It also looks like Northern NSW is coping it now too. No sprises for the town of Lismore. But it's also looking like this flood could end up effecting five states!
I look out the window and the sky is blue and the sun is shining. I just popped into the supermarket for some stuff and had to wait 40 minutes in line cause every bugger is trying to stock up - no cans of baked beans or spaghetti left, no two minute noodles left, no bread, no fresh milk so people are buying long life milk like its going out of fashion - the woman in front of me had eight 2 litre bottles. And the amount of people on the roads is amazing. And they're aren't shopping. They're sight seeing, looking for flood things cause it's been 37 years since the area was effected like this before. And yet, 3 miles away on the other side of the hill is the town/city center and housing going under. As I said, it is surreal.
To give people an idea of the size of the state (75% to 80% a declared flood disaster) here are a couple of reference pics and info about the state regarding size http://www.workliveplay.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v4/apps/web/content.cfm?id=15055 ...
(http://203.210.126.185/dsdweb/v4/apps/web/media/images/4147.jpg) (http://203.210.126.185/dsdweb/v4/apps/web/media/images/4148.jpg)
More updates later...
Michael
Hope you guys are all going okay up there. My thoughts go out to you.
Meanwhile my mobile phone bill is going up as I've madly been ringing everyone I know up there to check on them.
Latest updates....
12 dead, 43 missing. 115,000 homes without power, around 20,000 homes to go under water, 40,000 homes to be affected by water. Currently 4,000 people in emergency evacuation centers but estimated to be 16,000 people come tomorrow when we have the storm surge mix with the high tide.
The Rocklea markets are submerged. So another venue will need to be established to provide fresh produce for the city. Otherwise there will be no fresh produce in the city at all!
We've been keeping up to date with coverage on Channel 7 News (http://au.news.yahoo.com/local/qld). Their chopper shots have been excellent. And the scenes they have shown of the city, even in these early stages before the peak in around 6 hours, have been jaw dropping. We are in nght time now, but come mornng I imagine the scenes will be even more devastating than it already is.
Harley and BMW dealership
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh258/0dzy/169001_1645312765722_1023972909_31746271_6347339_n.jpg)
Ipswich
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn210/leahgraf/Ipswich%20CBD/165219_1658695078996_1585730422_1446719_4819041_n.jpg)
I have more photos from people I know of my part of town as well as 30 miles away. But I think it's easier if you see for yourself the photos taken by locals from around the entire region http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=138403559554005&view=all
The main road between where I am and the main city 30 miles away has been submerged. Nothing can get through. And seeing as this particular stretch of road was a good ten or so meters above the lower road, and the lower road was a good 20 meters above the river, indicates just how high it has come in that section. All those businesses on the lower level, all those homes on the lower level, are all under meters of water! Caravan park, gone. Just mind boggling.
The water is expected to remain this high for 36 to 48 hours and then take as long as three days to recede. So we are in for some interesting time ahead.
Michael
Awoke this morning to a small reprieve. Instead of the river peaking at 5.5 meters in Brisbane, it only peaked at 4.5 meters - which is still more than enough to flood vast areas of the CBD and surrounding suburbs. And now we wait for the afternoon peak.
Here's a some video journalism of a reporter in a small boat going around the various inner suburbs of the city. The video brings an extra realism that a photo just cannot bring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mANvEa5v-mM&feature=player_embedded
An aerial of Brisbane's Produce Market (all the long buildings) - where fresh food comes into the city from afar to be distributed throughout the city as well as be loaded onto trucks to be shipped to other states. This will be out of action for a long time.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TS4V0UF58KI/AAAAAAAAAf8/0EWLzqnlgAk/flood003.jpg)
Underneath that water is a bridge. This is a main road into the city and the water is normally around 20 yards beneath the bridge. Not today, however. And after the waters subside engineers will have to check the bridge before allowing traffic back on. As they will have to do for all bridges around the city.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TS4V0Hkpy7I/AAAAAAAAAf0/rRkmgyCKgtg/flood001.jpg)
Another major highway into the city. This road brings in the majority of fresh produce from the farming areas as well as a huge number of people who live out this way (including me). This is was in the middle of being upgraded. It does not sit over a major river. But a tiny little nothing thing that usually has no water in it - Six Mile Creek. Just one of the many places this roadway is submerged. In all likelihood the road surface will be ruined. This upgrade project is 15 mile long so it's a good chance a lot of the road surface will need to be redone.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TS4V0r3QrBI/AAAAAAAAAgA/Itx_FEG_l64/flood004.jpg)
One of the many railway stations that went under. This was Goodna Station and had just had a refurb as well as new walkways being built to it. The station is elevated above the roadway. That it has gone under doesn't bode well for the lower lying homes and businesses.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TS4V0aH_YbI/AAAAAAAAAf4/I0y4k1IlUQA/flood002.jpg)
As mentioned previously, more flood photos can be seen on facebook http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=138403559554005&view=all
And to give you an idea of why a flood is so devastating here, here is an aerial photo of Brisbane (Australia's third largest city) before the flood. As you can see, the city was built around the snaking river. Last time the city flooded was in 1974. Since then a dam was built to absorb such water influx. Since it has been raining here almost constantly for two months, that dam has been releasing water as it could and absorbing other water. It rained so much the dam filled to double its recommended capacity and still water was coming into the catchment. Combined with the flashflood that started this thread, the saturated ground, water flowing into river catchments out of the dam's power to absorb and the river system just could not keep within its banks any more. Ironically, the moment the flood was inevitable, the rain stopped.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Brisbane_aerial_view_06.jpg/800px-Brisbane_aerial_view_06.jpg)
Last reports have around 110,000 homes without power and 30,000 affected by water. Thankfully our drinking water is still safe to drink. And there do not seem to be sanitation issues - other than those homes that went under. The sun is shining this morning.
Michael
Wow, You guys might wanna start putting two of all animals on an Ark! In all seriousness I hope the waters subside quickly!
Mary
Thought a comparison might be interesting...
Goodna Train Station
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AYmU9ozxu_o/TS4V0aH_YbI/AAAAAAAAAf4/I0y4k1IlUQA/flood002.jpg)
Goodna before the above higher water level. Note the train station to the right of the far end of the walkway
(http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-LU768_ausflo_G_20110112212602.jpg)
Goodna Satelite view - before the walkway was put in. To the right of the round-a-bout you'll see a close knit group of buildings in an almost tear drop shape. That was Goodna Caravan Park.
http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=goodna&sll=-27.609835,152.90308&sspn=0.007273,0.013937&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Goodna+Queensland,+Australia&ll=-27.610548,152.903177&spn=0.007273,0.013937&t=k&z=17
The flooded photo, where the water goes over the motorway. That's the new motorway, sat image shows old motorway. New motorway was 10 or more yards above the lower road. Incredible the water came up so much.
Michael
I live!!!! Had to move all my furniture out of my place ( and the GS of course) as the flood waters came within 100 meters of my home. Had no power for 3 days. Was a pretty scary event, but I am one of the lucky ones. So many horror stories on the news and I think there will be a lot more to come. Hope everyone else made it through ok. Any Brissy GSers get wet?
Latest Update: 15 dead, 55 missing, 11,900 homes fully flooded, 14,700 partly flooded.
The river had gone down, but the main arteries into the city as shown here previously are still out of action for traffic in both directions. Some inbound traffic is making it through - so the city can be resupplied - but out bound traffic on those roads is hoped to be open by the end of the day.
Throughout the state, 70 towns and cities have been flooded. Much of the area food growing land so entire crops are gone.
Looting has been almost non existent. Only three people have been caught. And while some people have been beach-combing most people are spending their time helping clean up the place, while others sight see.
There are 600 defense force personnel already working on things - bringing food and water into cut off areas, establishing temporary power and cell phone communications where existing such towers are without power, clearing roads for transport, and so on and so forth - with more personnel on the way.
The city's main industrial estate where the food markets are is still under water. While the water has decreased significantly and some areas are open to vehicles to drive around, some areas are still not accessible. But it's all covered with mud. And ironically, much of the available machinery which could be used to help clean up the debris, was stored here. So a call has gone out for privates owners of such machinery - small one man businesses etc. - to come forward so their machinery may be used in the clean up effort. Specially bobcat (skid steer loader) owners.
Michael
Its hard to watch the devastation down south and not be able to get out and help, I spent last week up in Rockhampton with the State Emergency Service helping prepare for the peak of the Fitzroy river. It was totally different up there, the water was very slow and residents had plenty of time to prepare for it (it still does a lot of damage of course, just not as sudden or as much).
I don't know if this video will work for you, but its a great example of what water can do to a road and why we shouldn't try cross flooded roads. It's water coming from the Fitzroy river.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1816543092944&oid=182286548455003&comments
Update Jan 16, Sun.
Another sunny day.
The "authorities" have set up "helper stations" where people who want to volunteer their time to help clean up can come, register, get on a bus and be taken to an area. The response to these centers has been so overwhelming that more Areas had to be scheduled in for assistance. See this video http://video.couriermail.com.au/1744122309/Sludge-Army
In addition to these Official helping stations, other people have been doing things on their own bat...
One guy I know loaded a high-pressure cleaner into his car, drove through Hungry Jacks (Burger King), bought ten whoppers, drove to an area, gave the burgers to the first ten workers he could see - and - while they ate he hooked up his washer and began blasting the sludge off the house.
Another guy I know put on a sausage sizzle for those random people who came to help in an industrial estate. They went through 60kg (132lbs) of sausages!
A guy I know whose house went under half way up the ground floor - and he lost his bike! - said he's had people just randomly come into the street and start helping cleaning.
I rode past the train station whose photos appear above. Not only were the roads open (you saw how the road was covered in the photos above), they were clean - must have been working around the clock with water tankers to hose all the slime off the road. Anyway. The train station in question was having the final coat of new paint being applied to it. Not only has that station been cleaned since the water went down, it has nearly finished being painted already!
Already in my town/city (Ipswich) all roads have been cleaned and are open to traffic. As far as I know only one set of traffic lights is out and that road has been blocked off so no need for the lights anyway. Tippers and bobcats are all over. Bobcats are picking up the debris and stripped out shop junk and loading it onto tippers to be carted away.
The Speed at which the city has mobilized to fix itself is overwhelming. :thumb: :woohoo:
As for Flood Figures. last I heard, 10 people have been charged with Looting and face up to ten years jail. I second our mayor's opinion (use the looters as flood markers).
Death toll stands at 18 with grave fears held for 12. Those 12 were all seen to be washed away or last seen in homes that are maybe still standing but they are gone. most of these are from when the flash flood (as it has been called Inland Tsunami) ripped through the area. One such person is a 23 month old tot. So you'd have to assume these 12 are actually deceased but just await confirmation with a body. Which would put the death toll to 30 as a minimum. Other people are still missing on top of these 12.
The area in the state effected by flooding stood at 500,000 sq km (312,500 sq m). The population within the 51 areas declared as disaster zone is 2.1 million.
Michael
and heres cheers to the people who cleaned up not once but twice Torwood St Auchenflower.
on Saturday a second wave of water went up that street from a tidal Brisbane river.
And we would also like to thank the people who are cleaning up near me... where all the debris washed up on our beaches Nudgee, Shorncliff, Sandgate and Redcliff (and i can tell you there was lots of crap washing up here)
Quote from: mister on January 16, 2011, 02:35:16 AM
Update Jan 16, Sun.
Another sunny day.
The "authorities" have set up "helper stations" where people who want to volunteer their time to help clean up can come, register, get on a bus and be taken to an area. The response to these centers has been so overwhelming that more Areas had to be scheduled in for assistance. See this video http://video.couriermail.com.au/1744122309/Sludge-Army
In addition to these Official helping stations, other people have been doing things on their own bat...
One guy I know loaded a high-pressure cleaner into his car, drove through Hungry Jacks (Burger King), bought ten whoppers, drove to an area, gave the burgers to the first ten workers he could see - and - while they ate he hooked up his washer and began blasting the sludge off the house.
Another guy I know put on a sausage sizzle for those random people who came to help in an industrial estate. They went through 60kg (132lbs) of sausages!
A guy I know whose house went under half way up the ground floor - and he lost his bike! - said he's had people just randomly come into the street and start helping cleaning.
I rode past the train station whose photos appear above. Not only were the roads open (you saw how the road was covered in the photos above), they were clean - must have been working around the clock with water tankers to hose all the slime off the road. Anyway. The train station in question was having the final coat of new paint being applied to it. Not only has that station been cleaned since the water went down, it has nearly finished being painted already!
Already in my town/city (Ipswich) all roads have been cleaned and are open to traffic. As far as I know only one set of traffic lights is out and that road has been blocked off so no need for the lights anyway. Tippers and bobcats are all over. Bobcats are picking up the debris and stripped out shop junk and loading it onto tippers to be carted away.
The Speed at which the city has mobilized to fix itself is overwhelming. :thumb: :woohoo:
As for Flood Figures. last I heard, 10 people have been charged with Looting and face up to ten years jail. I second our mayor's opinion (use the looters as flood markers).
Death toll stands at 18 with grave fears held for 12. Those 12 were all seen to be washed away or last seen in homes that are maybe still standing but they are gone. most of these are from when the flash flood (as it has been called Inland Tsunami) ripped through the area. One such person is a 23 month old tot. So you'd have to assume these 12 are actually deceased but just await confirmation with a body. Which would put the death toll to 30 as a minimum. Other people are still missing on top of these 12.
The area in the state effected by flooding stood at 500,000 sq km (312,500 sq m). The population within the 51 areas declared as disaster zone is 2.1 million.
Michael
i know when the big KAT came through the gulf, i spent 1100 bought the truckload of food for the pizza place i worked iat, , rented a truck, and took it to MS. was there for several days
Thanks for the all the updates- it's really inspiring to hear the stories of so many people trying to help. I'll keep you all in my thoughts!
someone has to say.... some of these helpers are just plain idiots!!!
we were helping the other day after work and their are throwing every thing out :cookoo: its like stop look at what you are doing, knife forks plates cups wood tables out door settings there is noting wrong with these item (just a little muddy, can be hosed off).
too many people are throwing to much stuff out...