"It's breaking our hearts but it will not break our will", the words of Anna Bligh, Queensland Premier as reported on Austria Radio today !Watching CNN , BBC World , etc , i have seen in the past fortnight reports of the Police demanding people not to drive into flood waters and yet daily i see this activity shown. What is it with these people that decide they know better ?
Awoke to the news of Flash Floods in Toowoomba and flooding in Brisbane and the possibility that they will reach the same level as 1974 . Hard to imagine people being washed out of their homes by raging flood waters although cars being washed off the road does not bear thinking of either.
That there were lessons to be learnt then is a certainty but that there was no application of this knowledge is a crime that current residents will pay the price and unfortunately it will be a heavy burden to many. When this flood is over will the building codes be changed to avoid a repeat in the next flood which Mother Nature will send as surely as night follows day.
Vested interests have obviously been in play and of course "She'll be right mate" got in on the act also.Just watched BBC World News report of the devastation in Toowoomba which included a live interview with a resident that shot video of the little creek behind his office . Anyone thinking that they can defeat the power of nature are out of their mind .
Seeing the creek flowing like a torrent reminded me of the Boxing Day Tsunami which took in excess of 250000 lives several years ago. Doubtlessly the authorities were unaware and certainly ill prepared for an event such as this but Mother Nature (Anna Bligh's description) behaves as she chooses and overwhelms man's puny defences at will. David Jutson's video demonstrated this as the creek rose and flushed cars and vans downstream and parked the vehicles like toys that a petulent child had finished playing with , littering the area where they came to rest stacked on their noses or rears like dominoes . Insurance companies will have nightmares sorting out the claims from this incident alone , would not like to be a "Name" at Lloyds currently.
There is a Twitterer of the designation @the_womble who chooses to send me messages from time to time . Obviously he reads my blog as he raised/queried the point that people are taking chances, IF TV stations broadcast a video showing people in washed away cars , i can only conclude that at least some ignored Police /Authorities directions not to cross flooded roadways.
Whilst Queensland suffers , those in Murray Bridge area in Sth Australia need to prepare for the run off that will head their way. Can you believe the misery suffered in Sth Queensland will arrive on Adelaide's doorstep in about a month or so.
However Mother Nature is not alone creating mayhem , West Australia south of Perth has been visited by some lunatics causing Bushfires, see the story on this link:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/homes-destroyed-as-hundreds-flee-bushfire-20110111-19msd.html
Hope the forensic evidence is found to put the miscreant away FOR LIFE ! Nothing else will serve as this behaviour is the reason many refuse to be evacuated when the Authorities deem it necessary . Over the years many lives have been lost because people feel compelled to safeguard their property , not really a rational decision when you only live once and possessions can be replaced even though the "sentimental value" is lost.
Earlier post contained a request to put me in touch with someone with the "savvy" to see how i could be ferried in to add my hands to the task ahesd of clearing up the homes of "Disabled / Infirm" residents. I am well aware of People flying in at their own expense to help their relatives, but i am sure there are others like myself with time on their hands but without the financial resources or accomodation to be able to assist. Frankly without proper coordination i would just be in the way but working with others in a coordinated way , an effective resource.
Australia this year has been devastated by Fire ,Locusts , Cyclone , Flood and drought, hard to continue calling it "THE LUCKY COUNTRY" ?
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