Latest reports from Australia have 12 confirmed dead and grave fears for 18 of the 70-odd missing. Whole families are missing in isolated areas where rescuers cannot reach them. Half of the dead are children. One was a four-year-old boy; rescuers had a hold of him but lost their grip under the pressure of the rushing waters. He was swept away and drowned.
The story from yesterday was mostly about the flash flood in Toowoombie about 100 km from the coast. The flash flood has been described as an inland tsunami. That town is on a plateau which is 700m above sea level.
The cars swept away from the car park were found wrecked 8 km away from where they were taken up.
An entire restaurant floated downstream only to be dashed to pieces when it struck a bridge.
There were boats still tied to their wharves floating down the stream dragging wharves and all along with them.
A family of three swept away with their car while awaiting a difficult helicopter rescue--the wife and child were recovered later but husband missing and presumed swept away.
One publican, with water at the very front steps to his pub, put up a sign reading 'Cold Beer. River Views."
Another was quoted, "I am not worried. You only worry when you can do something about it."
Australia has suffered from seven years of drought and now Queensland state is 75 percent flood-threatened.
This water is carrying snakes and crocodiles beyond their normal areas.
After a tremendous flood in 1974 a new dam was built which normally bears a load at 20 percent of capacity. Right now it is holding back 190 percent capacity, even though pressure is being released as much as they can, and the peak water was expected at 0400 hrs today Australian time, which is probably something like right now--just checked, it will be two hours from now.
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awful disaster
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