Toowoomba's a wreck

[KYSBF]

Was this yesterday 1970? How does it look in there today?

[1970XW351]

yeah that was yesterday as it was going on. Today it's just a complete shambles. There is mud and debris everywhere, roads are ripped to hell and the council is trying to get round and cordon off as many bad spots as possible, but they're stretched pretty thin (not the sort of thing one expects up here) And a co worker has a mate who's a towie and reckons that most companies around town were going till about 4 this morning trying to get some of the cars shifted. And it looks like they'll be going for a long while yet. The weather has been pretty good by comparison today with just light rain and the occasional heavy patch, but the rain seems to be starting to pick up again now, so hopefully there isn't a repeat performance tonight.

[KYSBF]

Look's like I'll have another day off tomorrow then by the sounds of that! Take it easy mate.

[Jim Goose]

Amateur captures nature's fury in Toowoomba
Source: ABC News
Published: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 1:13 AEDT
Expires: Monday, April 11, 2011 1:13 AEDT

Toowoomba resident captures the extraordinary moment when the Chalk Lane Creek overflowed, carrying away cars.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/01/11/3110493.htm

[1970XW351]

Originally Posted by KYSBF

Look's like I'll have another day off tomorrow then by the sounds of that! Take it easy mate.

yeah could be an idea... And any excuse will do ... If only I could convince my boss of the same... . To easy mate, have a good one.

[Corzza]

Seen the footage on Telly.

My god it is bad!!!

Hope things get better soon up there.

Take care fellas!

[dannyhilton]

Originally Posted by 1970XW351

A house which is just at the rear of the place on the right corner had waist high water through the entire place. I walked to the park just down the road and was greeted by this:

Thanks for posting your pictures fella. You can definitely understand why it was all so bad in the CBD and other lower regions when relatively high set areas like where you're located end up looking like that.

[1970XW351]

Originally Posted by dannyhilton

Thanks for posting your pictures fella. You can definitely understand why it was all so bad in the CBD and other lower regions when relatively high set areas like where you're located end up looking like that.

I reckon! I guess a benefit from this is that it may prompt council to have a serious look at doing something on the East creek now in terms of flood containment measures as they have on West creek... It's just a shame that it has cost so much in terms of lives, property and lost business.

[Corzza]

This is unreal!!!

I am shocked!

[CHARGED TERRA]

Here's a video I took of Jellicoe St, Toowoomba Yesterday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSlLibxCOwg

and here is a video of the same spot today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py8b-mOhgJw



And a few pics of the damage done.















I didnt venture into the centre of town as I had the kids with me and there is no vehicle access allowed.

[Corzza]

Found thos one. Pretty much shows how quickly this moved through

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYUpk...layer_embedded

[turboxf]

Originally Posted by csv8

The floods are really bad. Wheres this global warming!!!!!!My condolences to everyone state wide..

Hey mate the global warming is the thing behind these crazy happenings all over the world , didn't you know the oceans are rising because the seas are heating up. we in VICTORIA are starting to get warm rain rather than our cold rain & our climate is becoming like queensland wet & muggy rather than the dry heat we use to get, in central victoria, melbourne was always humid but when i shifted to the bendigo area in 1989 it was always dry heat , one thing about this humidity we are experiencing is that the fruit & vegies are well ahead of what they should be for growing.
the el ninya the dry one has gone replaced by el linya the wet one.

I have been watching the news the last few days & the devastation the floods did to small towns plus the inland tsunami did was huge it came & went & left families devastated with the loss of children. & missing families.
The crocks & snakes must be a worry being swept along!

I thought the PAKISTAN floods were bad , this wet cycle could top them , but lets hope not the death numbers.

cheers

[turboxf]

Looking at those vids it was lucky the town wasn't hit harder, plus with more deluges to come it isn't looking that good for the lower regions of BRISBANE

We have had rain on & off for 3 days straight but not like what you guys are experiencing , keep dry & safe & help as many families out you can , this is a time for all aussies to help out any way they can, as the state & fed gov, said, it is going to take money & determination to get queensland & the food bowl back to what it was.

cheers

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by turboxf

Hey mate the global warming is the thing behind these crazy happenings all over the world , didn't you know the oceans are rising because the seas are heating
cheers

It's now "climate change". We are cooling.

These events have happened in in recorded history, (and not just this area of corse) including well before 74, the 74 episode arose as a result of a tropical cyclone dropping in excess of 600mm of rain in a short period, this event has been a more gradual build up in regards drenching rain coupled with a super natural drenching, see Weatherzone forums.

Regardless, awful.

The PAK floods displaced some 13 million. 20 million if you believe Wiki.

[JG34JA]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

It's now "climate change". We are cooling.

These events have happened in in recorded history, (and not just this area of corse) including well before 74, the 74 episode arose as a result of a tropical cyclone dropping in excess of 600mm of rain in a short period, this event has been a more gradual build up in regards drenching rain coupled with a super natural drenching, see Weatherzone forums.

Regardless, awful.

The PAK floods displaced some 13 million. 20 million if you believe Wiki.

...and even in pre-recorded history. I remember standing overlooking the plain around Karratha, and told of an indigenous story where the WHOLE landscape I saw was in flood. There are many stories such as this - Tiddalik the frog is read to children as a book. (Any members in the NW who know the Karratha tale better, feel free to amend).

My grandfather farmed cane on the Sunshine Coast. He knew the back paddock flooded about every 20 years, and stories existed of 50 year huge floods. We have always been puzzled that Grandad's back paddock is now filled with housing development...

Australia is a land of violent floods and harsh droughts. Our climatic model works more to the beat of El Nino / La Nina rather than Europe's predictable Summer-Autumn-Winter-Spring pattern. This has been suggested as the reason agriculture did not develop in Australia to a large scale (although Aborigines on the West Coast planted Yam like vegetables in the Dongara area, something I discovered researching a History degree, and used the extensive Murray wetlands for trapping fish) until Europeans began farming in the last 220 years. Personally I find it difficult to ascertain whether or not Global Warming/Climate Change/Greenhouse Effect is responsible when such utter extremes tend to occur and to such devastating levels. The variance is too huge; the data sample too little in the realm of aural history in Australia. Yes recently there has been change, but all dynamic systems operate in flux.

My thoughts to all those in QLD who are affected: may your families be safe, may your property and life's work be redeemed.

To finish, here are a few lines by Dorothea Mackellar written around the turn of the 20th Century after the Federation Drought (the settlers knew the nature of the country!):

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!

[turboxf]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

It's now "climate change". We are cooling.

These events have happened in in recorded history, (and not just this area of corse) including well before 74, the 74 episode arose as a result of a tropical cyclone dropping in excess of 600mm of rain in a short period, this event has been a more gradual build up in regards drenching rain coupled with a super natural drenching, see Weatherzone forums.

Regardless, awful.

The PAK floods displaced some 13 million. 20 million if you believe Wiki.

I thought a knowledgable bloke like you would have got the gist of what i was saying about the PAKI floods, by per capita Queensland could top there floods, as most of the houses over there were shanties in crop fields where over here the houses are more substantial to be saved after the flood, plus Pakistan have a huge population where Queensland don't.

Looking at the BRISBANE river live on tv now with all the icon structures under water & the peak still hasn't been reached, this is going to be huge dollar wise & infrastructure wise , plus with a treatment plant broken up & spewing sewerage into the river there will be waterborne issues arising, there already telling residents to boil there water.

cheers

[grandpa_spec_F6]

G'day all,

I've finally managed to get on here now that I am at home (briefly) after 3 very long days of work.

This is nothing official, and in no way to I represent the Department of Community Safety, I'm just trying to help out.

After a friend of mine became stranded at Albion going to look at the flood waters, I must re-iterate this message.....

Keep AWAY from flood water, do NOT try and cross a moving body of water and DON'T try and be a hero, make preparation and get out while you can.

Brissy is tipped to peak at 4am this morning so now is the best time to get yourself ready.

In order to assist people with their flood enquiries, I've compiled a list of numbers and websites that could prove useful.

Links:

Very important links to many resources: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/f...-1225986161515

Extract from link above:

Contacts:
- Information about loved ones: Call 1300 993 191

International calls - +61 7 3055 6220

- State Emergency Service: 132 500

- Road closures: 131940.qld.gov.au

- Power outages: energex.com.au

- Lifeline crisis line: 13 11 14

- Disaster Recovery Hotline: 1800 173 349

- Public transport: www.translink.com.au or ring 13 12 30

- To register on the National Registration and Inquiry System, complete hand written forms at evacuation centres, or visit www.redcross.org.au or ring 1800727077


Local flood warnings: www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings

Queensland police: www.facebook.com/Queensland Police

Sandbag locations: www.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Flood preparation and emergency kits: www.disaster.qld.gov.au

Power supply: http://www.energex.com.au/network/as...erruptions.asp



Extra Links (some are duplicates, apologies):

SE QLD Weather Radar: http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR662.loop.shtml#skip

Flood Maps: http://www.facebook.com/QueenslandPolice#!/QueenslandPolice?v=app_10442206389

Rolling updates of flood coverage: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...-1225985436806

Translink (Public Transport) Warnings: http://www.translink.com.au/travel-i...ected-services

Queensland Police FaceBook Page (VERY Current Updates): http://www.facebook.com/QueenslandPo...eenslandPolice

QPSU Twitter: http://twitter.com/QPSmedia#

Brisbane River Flood Guide: http://brisfloodguide.indev.com.au/

Red Cross (to track down family members or volunteer assistance): www.redcross.org.au or ring 1800727077

Centrelink Payment issues: 1802266

St Vinnies: http://www.vinnies.org.au/qldfloodappeal

Traffic Cams: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Traffic-ca...tel%20%28South

Traffic and Travel Information: http://highload.131940.qld.gov.au/

Brisbane City Council: http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/#maps


Please remember if you don't need travel stay off the roads, stay away from the flood waters and out of the way off emergency crews. Stay safe everyone.

Regards,

GSAU

P.S. As for the looters, the Mayor of Ipswich had a very good take on it, "If anyone is caught looting they will be used as depth indicators" or something to that effect.

This will also be posted in other flood threads to assist people.

[dave289]

Originally Posted by csv8

The floods are really bad. Wheres this global warming!!!!!!My condolences to everyone state wide..

global warming, global cooling, this is nothing more than a natural occurance ,like it was in 74 and like it was in the 1800's. The mentally unstable will try to tell us that if we all stopped using our toasters this would never have happened.

Just like before they will rebuild , hopefully for all concerned the sooner the better.

[Romulus]

Taken from another forum, I hope this is not true.

I spoke to a mate of mine who works for SES in towomba they found 14 more bodies at the bottom of a hill this morning, hasnt hit the radio or news yet as they havent been identifyd.

Poor people, makes me sick to think how helpless they all were, grown men not being able to help or save their families.

It's only water, it can slip through your fingers and toe's but is strong enough to hold up a ship and cut through steel.

I know heaps of queenslanders they are strong people, they will get through this.

May take some XXXX tinnies and a few meat pies but they will get on with life.

[Bucknaked]

Originally Posted by F6 Concorde

Taken from another forum, I hope this is not true.

I spoke to a mate of mine who works for SES in towomba they found 14 more bodies at the bottom of a hill this morning, hasnt hit the radio or news yet as they havent been identifyd.

I was watching the news this morning and they were saying there wer 30 cars under the Grantham Bridge. They were calling it the underwater Graveyard. This was before they sent the divers in. But the good news is that not one person was found.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/q...-1225986774851

The count is still at 15.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Amateur captures nature's fury in Toowoomba
Source: ABC News
Published: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 1:13 AEDT
Expires: Monday, April 11, 2011 1:13 AEDT

Toowoomba resident captures the extraordinary moment when the Chalk Lane Creek overflowed, carrying away cars.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/01/11/3110493.htm

this bit of footage is a great representation but given the amount of coverage it has received in the last few days, there's one little bit that bugs me. at 0:40, the guy comes out to move his patrol? he leans down near the front wheels and for some reason everyone assumes he is letting air out. personally i believe it is an old 4wd with manual operation of the front hubs/diff. he is just putting it in 4wd mode.

pedantic i know. at least he made it out.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by F6 Concorde

Taken from another forum, I hope this is not true.

I spoke to a mate of mine who works for SES in towomba they found 14 more bodies at the bottom of a hill this morning, hasnt hit the radio or news yet as they havent been identifyd.

Poor people, makes me sick to think how helpless they all were, grown men not being able to help or save their families.

It's only water, it can slip through your fingers and toe's but is strong enough to hold up a ship and cut through steel.

I know heaps of queenslanders they are strong people, they will get through this.

May take some XXXX tinnies and a few meat pies but they will get on with life.

Ermm I doubt it.. They dont have to identify them to know they are dead... If this was true we would have heard about it, news spreads fast especially when the mortuary guys are involved.

[rodderz]

Found this little snippet of how quick flood waters can become raging torrents even if the immediate area isnt raining hard. Vid goes for under 3 minutes from nothing to a 20m+ wide torrent. Goes to show, you have to be aware of such events of nature and the topography of the area you are in, you can't mess with nature

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQrS...eature=related

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Originally Posted by prydey

this bit of footage is a great representation but given the amount of coverage it has received in the last few days, there's one little bit that bugs me. at 0:40, the guy comes out to move his patrol? he leans down near the front wheels and for some reason everyone assumes he is letting air out. personally i believe it is an old 4wd with manual operation of the front hubs/diff. he is just putting it in 4wd mode.

pedantic i know. at least he made it out.

To my knowledge (and the general concensus at my work) is that he was locking the hubs on his 4WD.

What many people don't realise is that you can operate a 4WD in 4WD mode, however only use the rear wheels. This gives you a great advantage in that you have greatly increased low down torque due to the gear ratios being changed. In 2WD mode, you leave the front hubs unlocked.

This guy most likely hadn't locked the front hubs and was making sure it was 'true' 4WD.

This was being relayed by a friend of mine so apologies for anything that seems a little off, that's the general jist of what he was saying.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by rodderz

Found this little snippet of how quick flood waters can become raging torrents even if the immediate area isnt raining hard. Vid goes for under 3 minutes from nothing to a 20m+ wide torrent. Goes to show, you have to be aware of such events of nature and the topography of the area you are in, you can't mess with nature

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQrS...eature=related

Simply incredible, obviously the residents knew what was coming and its pays to know exactly what happens upstream.
It may not even be raining in your area (as shown in the video not one drop) but further downstream will still cop a hammering.

[rodderz]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Simply incredible, obviously the residents knew what was coming and its pays to know exactly what happens upstream.
It may not even be raining in your area (as shown in the video not one drop) but further downstream will still cop a hammering.

Yup, the crazy thing with a lot of flooded towns, such as Rocky, Emerald, Brisbane, Condomine etc, was that the flooding occurred from rain that fell elsewhere and takes a few days/weeks to reach through other areas.

While I was in Rocky the weather was hot and sunny from about the 27th December yet inland rain from the catchment area (which is about the size of Germany and France combined) can take up to 2.5-3 weeks to reach Rocky and flood it. Apparently 3 times the water amount of Sydney Harbour each day.

Apparerently that family that were stuck on the roof of the 4WD in Grantham and the father was swept away were taken off the road by a huge wall of water that come at once not gradually, going by the amount of debris in the water it looked like the video I posted above in which the 1st lot of water has the most debris in it

[jonesyedxr6]

Was listening to the Toowoomba police channels on my phone on wednesday night and apparently the Toowoomba and Gatton morgue's are completely full, so either that death toll of 13 or so is a massive underestimation or i misinterpreted the radio calls, as well a few friends of mine are in the SES and they reckon the whole township of Granthom has been declared a crime zone, no one can enter so i dunno, take what you want of that..

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by jonesyedxr6

Was listening to the Toowoomba police channels on my phone on wednesday night and apparently the Toowoomba and Gatton morgue's are completely full, so either that death toll of 13 or so is a massive underestimation or i misinterpreted the radio calls, as well a few friends of mine are in the SES and they reckon the whole township of Granthom has been declared a crime zone, no one can enter so i dunno, take what you want of that..

No doubt other people not affected by the floods would be in those morgues to, plus alot of funerals etc would have been cancelled this week. There could have been up to 20 people already in the toowoomba Morgue?? I dont work in that industry but i dont think they would have alot of storage as most bodies have to come to Brisbane neways to JT.

I dont think they police / government would be able to misslead the public like that, there are too many people who are involved that would spread the info.

[KYSBF]

I reckon we are all going to be shocked when all the info comes through. This rates right up there with the worst things in our history, Ash Wednesday, Black Saturday etc.
I was down the range for the first time today, just on the Warrego and Bypass to Gatton Uni and was floored by the change in the landscape. 50ft gum trees on their sides, roots and all. The watercourses are littered with anything and everything and are gouged out to be barely recognisable to how they were. It was bad.

[rodderz]

Eerily like Black Saturday. Think the townships of Kinglake, Marysville, Flowerdale, but at the opposite end of mother nature's sprectrum and in Grantham, Toowomba and Murphy's Creek. In this case it was a wall of water, not fire doing the destruction, but with similar results.