Queensland/Brisbane Floods

[Layabout]

Hello fine AGS folks.

You may have heard on the news/internets that a rather devastating flood has hit Queensland and Brisbane. Fortunatly, the number of deaths cause by this disaster has been relatively low (16 at last count). Unfortunately, many people have had their homes and/or businesses destroyed.

I live in Graceville, a suburb on the south side of Brisbane. Well I lived there until the 12th of January, before floodwaters rose to levels where we had to abandon the house. We were lucky, as we made the decision to move all our internal goods to a friends house, on high ground. 614 Homes were affected by the flood in my suburb alone, making it the 5th most affected suburb in Brisbane, housing wise.

This is an event that I never believed I would be facing. I am living at a friends house until we are able to clean up thoroughly, with my parents doing the same at their friends house.

We have no flood cover on our insurance policy, as being in an area that has flooded before, even though our house is supposedly raised well above the predicted 100 year flood risk height, the insurers will not cover it. Supposedly our house should never have flooded, but we had 30cm of dirty, muddy water engulf our house.

I suppose I really just need to talk about this more, which is why I am sharing it here.

If you do feel it in your heart to donate some money to the flood appeal, you can do so here: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

This is a view from my driveway, just before I left my home on Wednesday morning.

[Wonkyth]

Man, that sucks!
I was kinda hoping there weren't any forumites up in that part of the world since most of the footage we're getting down here seems pretty bleak.
From what I hear, there are still 12 or so people very much unaccounted for, and I'm really not sure what to say about the situation.
Shit, 75 per cent of a quarter of the sixth largest country in the world just went under water!
I still cant really believe it.
How can the dryest continent(bar Antarctica, if you want to nit pick) suddenly have so much water that people are dying, that pubs are being washed three kilometers from where they stood, that horses are climbing on top of houses to escape drownage?!

[Dualnames]

"This is an event that I never believed I would be facing."

This is my approach to a similar thing that happened to my family long time ago, so I'm in your shoes if anything. I don't believe there are words to say how badly does it suck, so I won't bother. The important thing is that you're alive. Hope all goes well.

[Wyz]

That's just awful!
I saw it in the news and already feared some people here might be hit by it. You're in luck if you could save even a portion of your belongings. I don't want think about losing things like photos and whatever projects are on my hard drive.
Best wishes for you.

[limeTree]

Sorry you were among the ones affected.
Hope everything goes well for you mate! You have
our full support! Cheers from Sydney!

[Darth Mandarb]

Hey Ryan ... glad you're okay!  I sent some money down-under.  Let me know when you get it

In the end you, and your fam, are safe.  That's the most important part.  The rest is just stuff.  If I were there I'd totally give you my sweatshirt.

Hang in there bro.

[Nikolas]

*SHIT*!

Ryan, first of all it's great that you and your family are ok!

If there's a way to donate straight to yourself, please let me (us) know.

Other than that, insurance sucks, we all know that. But hopefully the house needs a months workload of cleaning and perhaps some electrical wire, but other than that it might be saved? Don't know much about floods, but here's to hoping!

PS. From a very actual point of view, my 'precious' bellongings can fit in a couple of carry-bags, and I do keep them like this, in the case of earthquake (since here in Greece these are the major problem). Then again everytime I put my kids to bed, I forget about everything else. Life is the most precious gift of all!

[LRH]

If there's a way to donate straight to yourself, please let me (us) know.

Yes, indeed if there's something in particular you need, please let us help. In any case, I'm sorry such a thing has happened to you, and I really hope for the best, and hope that you can save your home.

Best wishes.

[Stupot]

Theres more an more pretty nasty tales coming out of Aus.
Glad you're okay Ryan.

Do you happen to know if the Mana Bar survived the flooding?  That's in Brisbane is it not?