To all of our Aussie friends

[Moe Zambeek]

I hope you are all safe and doing well under the disastrous conditions that are going on.

[S.W.Erdnase]

Thanks for that. I'm an Aussie abroad and these images are pretty upsetting.

[oldtelefart]

Thanks Moe. I'm lucky, living on a hillside in the Whitsundays. We're one of the few parts of Queensland that hasn't suffered destructive flooding. After Cyclone Ului last year, we needed a break. It's going to be a very hard week for many, many people, 10 confirmed dead so far, and that number is going to rise. The economic aftermath will be with us for years, especially as the current Qld. government is ..............well let's just say if it was your dog you'd have it put down.

[Tommy Biggs]

yeah buddy - rough times in Queensland. Those Aussies are tough, but man they are in a bad place.
We're keepin' a good thought for ya.

[MemphisCR]

Thanks Moe. I'm lucky, living on a hillside in the Whitsundays. We're one of the few parts of Queensland that hasn't suffered destructive flooding. After Cyclone Ului last year, we needed a break. It's going to be a very hard week for many, many people, 10 confirmed dead so far, and that number is going to rise. The economic aftermath will be with us for years, especially as the current Qld. government is ..............well let's just say if it was your dog you'd have it put down.

Keeping you guys in our thoughts and prayers. The company I work for had offices, warehouses, and ginning operations in Brisbane, Moree, Dalby, and Emerald (Queensland). We were in the international cotton merchandising business for decades but had to get out. Been there a few times. Absolutely love the country and the people, just good, good folks. Last time I was there you guys had been going through serious drought for a few years. It seems that you just can't catch a break. Hoping the best for you through this.

[Midnight Lady]

Good thread.

I've been thinking of all of you Aussies with your flooding problems - and all that rain! Unreal!

Queensland is such a beautiful part of the world.

[Boris Bubbanov]

Yes, to those in Queensland dealing with raging water, and those elsewhere in Australia dealing with raging bush fire.

We're thinking about you and pulling for you.

[Flinx]

Good Luck mates...looks awful!

[rbnum1fan]

ozzie ozzie oi oi oi

i hope my cobbers in Brisvegas are ok and having a cold VB!

[CyberFerret]

We're drenched by tropical monsoonal squalls at the moment in my part of Aus, but thankfully no flooding. They're having it tough over there in Queensland. I've heard that an area of land equal to Texas is underwater.

UPDATE: Just found out that one of my clients' husband lost his aunty and 2 year old cousin last night...It just brings the sheer enormity of this disaster closer...

[JimmyR]

Well in Brissie it would probably be a Fourex, but I think anything would be good right now.

I'm on the other side, a mere 4500kms away or so and the problem here is not water but rather the lack of it. Our dams are pretty low and the weather is stinking hot right now. But that's Australia for you. Good luck to all the rugby lovers over there.

[MBT74]

Thanks people. Thanks for the thoughts. It's going to get worse here in Brisbane at 3am tomorrow (our time) when the king tide arrives. I'm in a safe spot but many aren't.

[shane88]

oz has long stretches of drought (bush fires) followed by flooding - many crops were destroyed this year after the farmers thought they'd get a decent harvest - anyway that's the way it goes

[dumbell78]

Wish you guys and gals all the best. Hope things take a quick turn for the better.

[Wesman61]

Count me as another concerned USAer. Hoping for the best possible outcome for our Aussie Friends.

[ClinchFX]

Thanks to all for the support you have shown.

Since August 2010, we have been travelling around Australia and are currently in Tasmania, Australia's Island State. We still own a house in Brisbane and one son and both daughters live there. Thankfully they are not in danger.

There have been a few cries about global warming, but the highest flooding in Brisbane was in the 1890s. This is just another case of nature reminding us that we don't really control anything.

Please spare a thought, a prayer or some good vibes:console for the folks who have lost loved ones and/or property in the flooding.

Peter.

[Space Hammer]

I grew up in Brisbane and my family still lives there (moved to Sydney a few years back). I've been seeing a bunch of crazy photos in the last 24 hours from my friends, such as this:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs064.snc6/167450_481087591147_719741147_6408732_2187843_n.jp g


this is a shot of a supermarket almost under water in Ipswich

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs761.ash1/165221_495706741542_737076542_5882118_7417815_n.jp g

And if all that water isn't enough to worry about there have been reports of a Bull Shark swimming the streets in Goodna (suburb of Brisbane), and a Crocodile.

To anyone out there please stay safe and good luck.

[bluffalo]

i'm 35-45 minutes away from brisbane. we've been lucky.

some pictures

note that some of these are a bit old, the water has risen since then in places. example the football stadium shows grass on the field.... it was up to the crossbar of the goalposts this afternoon.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/slideshowajax/139318/floods-ravage-queensland.slideshow

D7HLvwPmles

this one starts off with little happening... but keep watching

kYUpkPTcqPY




There have been a few cries about global warming, but the highest flooding in Brisbane was in the 1890s. This is just another case of nature reminding us that we don't really control anything.

also remember wivenhoe damn wasn't built back then...

[Nelson89]

Yeh....for an indication of how bad it is right now, 3/4s of QLD has been affected...and for a comparison, the hurricane katrina floods were about 233 000 sq kms or something....so far in australia these are 1 000 000+ sq kms. Most of Brisbane is now under water...

Here's something that gives some figures:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/01/11/f-australia-queensland-floods-by-the-numbers.html

To make matter's worse...there's some cyclones forming off the coast as well...