BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – Military helicopters
searched Tuesday for scores of people missing
after a tsunami-like wall of water ripped through
an Australian valley, tossing cars like toys in the
deadliest episode of a weekslong flood crisis.
At least nine people were killed and officials held
grave fears for 66 others still missing almost 24
hours after the flash flood hurled untold millions
of gallons of water down Queensland state's
Lockyer Valley on Monday, state Premier Anna
Bligh said.
The valley funneled rain from a freak storm —
forecasters estimated up to 6 inches (150
millimeters) fell in half an hour fell near
Toowoomba city — into a stream that formed a
path of destruction, lifting houses from
foundations.
The torrent slowed and spread out as it moved
downstream toward the state capital of Brisbane,
Australia's third-largest city with some 2 million
people.
The Brisbane River overflowed its banks Tuesday
and officials warned that dozens of low-lying
neighborhoods and parts of the downtown area
could be inundated by Thursday.
The violent surge near Toowoomba on Monday
escalated Australia's flood crisis in Queensland
state and brought the overall death toll to 19. Until
then, the flooding had unfolded slowly as swollen
rivers burst their banks and inundated towns
while moving downstream toward the ocean.
Emergency services officers plucked more than
40 people from houses isolated overnight by the
torrent that hit the Lockyer Valley, and thousands
were being evacuated. In one small community
in the path of the floodwaters, Forest Hill, the
entire population of about 300 was being airlifted
to safety in military helicopters, Bligh said.
The search and rescue effort was being
hampered by thunderstorms and more driving
rain.
Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman said
authorities were preparing for about 6,500
properties to be flooded in the city in the next few
days, affecting about 15,000 people in 80
suburbs. The flood peak was expected on
Thursday, when parts of downtown were
expected to be awash.
The city is protected by a large dam built
upstream after floods devastated downtown in
1974. But the reservoir was full, and officials had
no choice but to release water that would cause
low-level flooding in the city, Newman said. The
alternative was a much worse torrent.
Bligh said four children were among those killed
and that many of those still stranded or
unaccounted for are families and young children.
On Tuesday morning, she said the death toll was
eight and the missing numbered 72. Later, she
confirmed another death and said five of the
missing had been accounted for.
Queensland has been in the grip of its worst
flooding for more than two weeks, after tropical
downpours across a vast area of the state
covered an area the size of France and Germany
combined. Entire towns have been swamped,
more than 200,000 people affected, and coal and
farming industries virtually shut down.
"The power of nature can still be a truly
frightening power and we've seen that on display
in this country," Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.
Monday's flash flooding struck without warning
in Toowoomba, a city of some 90,000 people
nestled in mountains 2,300 feet (700 meters)
above sea level. Bligh said an intense deluge fell
over a concentrated area, sending a 26-foot
(eight-meter), fast-moving torrent crashing
through Toowoomba and smaller towns further
down the valley.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson described the
events Monday as "an inland instant tsunami."
As the water was pushed its way downstream,
officials closed roads and highways and told
residents in low-lying area of Brisbane to sandbag
their homes and then move to higher ground.
"We have a grim and desperate situation," Bligh
said. "This took everybody so unawares that
there was no opportunity in most cases for
people to get to safety."
Heavy rain continued Tuesday, and the Bureau of
Meteorology warned that more flash floods could
occur.
Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said
rescue efforts were concentrated on towns
between Toowoomba and Brisbane, including
hardest-hit Murphy's Creek and Grantham, where
about 30 people sought shelter in a school
isolated by the floodwaters.
News video from late Monday showed houses
submerged to the roof line in raging muddy
waters, with people clambering on top. A man,
woman and child sat on the roof of their car as
waters churned around them.
In Toowoomba, the waters disappeared almost
as fast as they arrived, leaving debris strewn
throughout downtown and cars piled atop one
another.
Queensland officials have said the ultimate cost of
the weekslong flooding could be as high as $5
billion.
Source: Http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/10/dead-new-flood-australias-crisis-worsens/
searched Tuesday for scores of people missing
after a tsunami-like wall of water ripped through
an Australian valley, tossing cars like toys in the
deadliest episode of a weekslong flood crisis.
At least nine people were killed and officials held
grave fears for 66 others still missing almost 24
hours after the flash flood hurled untold millions
of gallons of water down Queensland state's
Lockyer Valley on Monday, state Premier Anna
Bligh said.
The valley funneled rain from a freak storm —
forecasters estimated up to 6 inches (150
millimeters) fell in half an hour fell near
Toowoomba city — into a stream that formed a
path of destruction, lifting houses from
foundations.
The torrent slowed and spread out as it moved
downstream toward the state capital of Brisbane,
Australia's third-largest city with some 2 million
people.
The Brisbane River overflowed its banks Tuesday
and officials warned that dozens of low-lying
neighborhoods and parts of the downtown area
could be inundated by Thursday.
The violent surge near Toowoomba on Monday
escalated Australia's flood crisis in Queensland
state and brought the overall death toll to 19. Until
then, the flooding had unfolded slowly as swollen
rivers burst their banks and inundated towns
while moving downstream toward the ocean.
Emergency services officers plucked more than
40 people from houses isolated overnight by the
torrent that hit the Lockyer Valley, and thousands
were being evacuated. In one small community
in the path of the floodwaters, Forest Hill, the
entire population of about 300 was being airlifted
to safety in military helicopters, Bligh said.
The search and rescue effort was being
hampered by thunderstorms and more driving
rain.
Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman said
authorities were preparing for about 6,500
properties to be flooded in the city in the next few
days, affecting about 15,000 people in 80
suburbs. The flood peak was expected on
Thursday, when parts of downtown were
expected to be awash.
The city is protected by a large dam built
upstream after floods devastated downtown in
1974. But the reservoir was full, and officials had
no choice but to release water that would cause
low-level flooding in the city, Newman said. The
alternative was a much worse torrent.
Bligh said four children were among those killed
and that many of those still stranded or
unaccounted for are families and young children.
On Tuesday morning, she said the death toll was
eight and the missing numbered 72. Later, she
confirmed another death and said five of the
missing had been accounted for.
Queensland has been in the grip of its worst
flooding for more than two weeks, after tropical
downpours across a vast area of the state
covered an area the size of France and Germany
combined. Entire towns have been swamped,
more than 200,000 people affected, and coal and
farming industries virtually shut down.
"The power of nature can still be a truly
frightening power and we've seen that on display
in this country," Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.
Monday's flash flooding struck without warning
in Toowoomba, a city of some 90,000 people
nestled in mountains 2,300 feet (700 meters)
above sea level. Bligh said an intense deluge fell
over a concentrated area, sending a 26-foot
(eight-meter), fast-moving torrent crashing
through Toowoomba and smaller towns further
down the valley.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson described the
events Monday as "an inland instant tsunami."
As the water was pushed its way downstream,
officials closed roads and highways and told
residents in low-lying area of Brisbane to sandbag
their homes and then move to higher ground.
"We have a grim and desperate situation," Bligh
said. "This took everybody so unawares that
there was no opportunity in most cases for
people to get to safety."
Heavy rain continued Tuesday, and the Bureau of
Meteorology warned that more flash floods could
occur.
Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said
rescue efforts were concentrated on towns
between Toowoomba and Brisbane, including
hardest-hit Murphy's Creek and Grantham, where
about 30 people sought shelter in a school
isolated by the floodwaters.
News video from late Monday showed houses
submerged to the roof line in raging muddy
waters, with people clambering on top. A man,
woman and child sat on the roof of their car as
waters churned around them.
In Toowoomba, the waters disappeared almost
as fast as they arrived, leaving debris strewn
throughout downtown and cars piled atop one
another.
Queensland officials have said the ultimate cost of
the weekslong flooding could be as high as $5
billion.
Source: Http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/10/dead-new-flood-australias-crisis-worsens/
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