BRISBANE, Australia -- Floodwaters poured into
the empty downtown of Australia's third-largest
city Wednesday after tearing a deadly path across
the northeast, swamping neighborhoods in what
could be Brisbane's most devastating floods in a
century.
The surging, muddy waters reached the tops of
traffic lights in some parts of Brisbane, and the
city's mayor said at least 20,000 homes were in
danger of being inundated.
At least 22 people have died and more than 40
are missing across Australia's northeastern state
of Queensland since drenching rains that began in
November sent swollen rivers spilling over their
banks, flooding an area larger than France and
Germany combined. Brisbane, the state capital
with a population of 2 million, is the latest city to
face down the waters, and officials expect the
death toll to rise.
On Wednesday, Brisbane residents who had
spent two days preparing took cover on higher
ground while others scrambled to move their
prized possessions to the top floors of their
homes. Some stacked furniture on their roofs.
The Brisbane River is expected to reach its highest
point on Thursday. After days of bad news in
which figures were constantly being revised, the
Bureau of Meteorology late Wednesday delivered
a small and rare positive forecast - the
floodwaters would crest about a foot (30
centimeters) lower than earlier thought.
If correct, the new forecast meant the waters
would not reach the depth of 1974 floods that
swept the city. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh
said the news was welcome, but of little comfort.
"This is still a major event, the city is much
bigger, much more populated and has many
parts under flood that didn't even exist in 1974,"
she said. "We are still looking at an event which
will cripple parts of our city."
The dragged-out crisis escalated when a violent
storm sent a 26-foot (eight meter), fast-moving
torrent - described as an "inland instant tsunami"
- crashing through the city of Toowoomba and
smaller towns to the west of Brisbane on
Monday. Twelve people were killed in that flash
flood. Late Wednesday, Bligh said the number of
missing had been revised down to 43.
"This is a truly dire set of circumstances," Prime
Minister Julia Gillard said.
The Brisbane River broke its banks on Tuesday
and was continuing its rise Wednesday - partly
controlled by a huge dam upstream that has had
its floodgates opened because it is brimming after
weeks of rain across the state.
Water levels were expected to stay at peak levels
until at least Saturday, but many people won't be
able to access their homes for several days
beyond that, Bligh said.
The flooding has transfixed Australia and is
shaping up to become the nation's most
expensive disaster, with an estimated price tag of
at least $5 billion. The relentless waters have shut
down Queensland state's crucial coal industry
and ruined crops across vast swaths of farmland.
Brisbane's office buildings stood empty
Wednesday with the normally bustling central
business district transformed into a watery ghost
town. Most roads around the city were closed,
and people moved about in kayaks, rowboats
and even on surfboards. One of the city's sports
stadiums, which hosts international rugby
games, was flooded with muddy, chest-deep
water.
Boats torn from their moorings floated down the
rising river along with massive amounts of
debris. A popular waterside restaurant's pontoon
was swept away by the current and floated
downstream. Officials said they would probably
have to sink a barge that serves as an
entertainment venue, to stop it from breaking free
and becoming a floating torpedo.
Source: Http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/11/2011705/floods-enter-brisbane-20000-homes.html
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