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Anyone else got relations in Queensland?
I just heard earlier that my brother just lost his house this morning in Murphys Creek. They had a flash flood and they thought they were safe as they live on high ground. My niece managed to contact my son on facebook but she lives in Brisbane and doesn't know much, just that they had made it to an neighbours property with just their two cats.

In this hi tech world i find I can't contact them in any way and it's quite frightening when just a few days ago we could chat on the computer...but they don't have one now. And their children can't contact them either even though they're only an hour away.

so sorry to hear this, Kea..I feel so sorry for the people who are affected, I'm glad they are ok and managed to get the cats..have they not got a help line of some sort, ? or mobile phone or don't they work?

Oh dear, this is awful for them- and for you. People tend to think it's not that bad because they are in a developed country with lots of government aid, but the loss of one's home and personal stuff must be devastating wherever you are.

Well if the earthquake in Christchurch is anything to go by being in a developed country doesn't help much when a lot of people lose their homes you'd have to be magic to sort it over night and with so many people homeless money doesn't make a difference.

Bad news Kea, I hope you get in touch soon, I have ex work mates who suffered the earthquakes in Christchurch, on that note I'm going to Email them now, best of luck contacting your brother.    :) :) :)

              Really feel sorry for all the folk out in Queensland who have lost their homes, just hope they get the full support of their Government in rebuilding their homes and lives, :(

Apparently they are in the evacuation centre in Toowoomba. Yes Christchurch is still in a bad state I have family there too. My brothers children and families live in Brisbane...next in line but at least they're getting a warning.
I just found a video on you tube of the creek (Murphys Creek) which bordered my brother's house....very scary stuff they were very, very lucky to get out.

Glad to hear they are safe, Kea.  I hope everything will be ok for them in the long run.  My heart goes out to all those affected, I can't begin to imagine how devestating it must be x

Yes, Brisbane is my home town, my sister is cut off from the rest of the town by flodded roads but their house is safe. Other friends are OK, except one whose house backs onto a stormwater catchment area - I am waiting to hear if she has had to evacuate or not.
Toowoomba is a very charming little town, I know several people from there and it breaks my heart to see the damage caused by the flash floods. One of the last photos taken of my late dad was taken in its beautiful botanical gardens. Hope there is something left of them.
A friend who lives more than 1km from the river says that tonight he can hear it roaring from his balcony - gives you an idea of how terrifying it all is.
Please keep the people of South East Qld in your thoughts at this time, we are tough but this is a hard blow!

I spoke to my brother this morning. His wifes employer's have found them a place to stay in Toowoomba and paid for it for a month and given her a month off on full salary......how fantastic is that!
According to my brother the 'river' in Toowoomba was just a stream. The 'dry' creek (the now world famous Murphys Creek) next to his house is now also a gouged out river!
One of his neighbours located their house 30km away!
Would you believe that they managed to drive out the next day after the water levels dropped, my brother's car was in the garage still and after a few attempts they got it started.....though it's full of mud and water.
They only survived because of some very quick thinking and having a ladder handy.

You must be so relieved Kea, what a fantastic boss to have.

Glad every thing ok with your family nice to see the Austalian & England crickit teams  giving some thing back to help  all those in need.  Rugbypost

                 I have not heard anything off our Government about the situation in Queensland regarding the UK giving  help and support, I hope the Charities out there and the UN that are always bleating on about helping the third world out when disasters happen actually help a country out that does more than its fair share of humanitarian work throughout the world,   

Yes Mr Smith I agree. Christchurch also ...people are homeless there as well though not as many.

My brother said they only got a set of dry clothes this morning (nearly 2 days) and despite the warm temperature they've been cold as well and shivering partly due to shock.

Quote from: Kea on January 12, 2011, 19:06:42
Yes Mr Smith I agree. Christchurch also ...people are homeless there as well though not as many.

My brother said they only got a set of dry clothes this morning (nearly 2 days) and despite the warm temperature they've been cold as well and shivering partly due to shock.

At the minute we have ships(yes we still have some) doing nothing more than bobbing up and down on the sea somewhere which carry Helicopters, I know Oz is weeks sailing away but equipment needs servicing and personnel get tired so we do what we can, but this disaster is our disaster, when we have been in the poo-poo in the past the Aussies and Kiwi's have always been there for us, 

Yes Mr Smith they could have done with some more helicopters.....my brother and his wife had to take the 'plunge' and rescue themselves after 3 hours on their roof and watching buildings around implode they decided on the roof wasn't safe enough and when the flow reduced they waded out using river crossing techniques using the ladder to keep them together.....my Sister-in-law is only 5 ft so it must have been terrifying for her.....average water depth in their house was 4ft 6inches.

However I guess most ships with helicopters on board are in the Gulf etc and it's a long way to Oz.

Glad to hear they are safe Kea, I emailed our friends in Christchurch and they seem to be doing OK, although they said there are still a few tremors and it was a bit more scary when your outside when it's happening, she said a car was raised slightly and it looked as if it was dancing on it's wheels on Boxing day, they are still waiting for the EQC to come and access their house as there are over 160 000 claims and their poor littlun has her head under the pillow when she goes to sleep.      :( :( :(

strange that the floods in Aus were on nearly every front page, whilst the ones in brazil never got a mention?

Quote from: tonybloke on January 19, 2011, 18:52:56
strange that the floods in Aus were on nearly every front page, whilst the ones in brazil never got a mention?

My heart goes out to everybody who has lost their loved ones and their homes in these terrible floods. Its a terrible thing to happen. I feel the people in Australia will get more help from the government and from other aussi citizens that the people in England have had when they were flooded. The people in Brazil are not just living in favela's this time but were living in good housing too and their have been around 650 deaths already and many more are still missing. The poorest of the poor their have literally lost everything and have very little hope of getting anything back just like the people in Tamil country in Sri Lanka who are suffering the same fate and nothing has been reported on their plight in the press either.  Its truly aweful for all these people who are all going throught a living hell at this time.

Just catching up on this thread as I've been following the Brazil flooding and so sorry to hear about your brother and family, Kea.

We've been on church flood relief teams to Illinois when the Mississippi overflowed and Gulfport when hurricane Katrina hit- and sad to say, even the homes that are/were left standing when water subsides are barely salvageable and have to be totally gutted. An awful lot of rebuilding for something that is still in a floodplain. The Katrina hit area is still rebuilding after, what? 5 years maybe?  Makes one wonder if a cash settlement and moving somewhere else is a better idea. But what a bad financial hit that is :( as well as losing cherished possessions.