Queensland Floods

[muddygirl]

I posted this in the gallery too, so this is a repeat.

This is a picture I took today of my family's business. That is the second story of the building that you can see sticking out of the water. We spent all of Saturday evacuating stock and possesions by boat from the upstairs windows, and taking it to storage on higher ground. This was at about the peak of the flood today, but there has been large amounts of rain in our rivers catchment area again today, so we will be expecting abother peak in the next 30 hours or so.


The businesses that rent space in our building, a cafe, and marine supplies shop and others, and our marina business have all been hit hard and it will be weeks before we are able to trade again. When the waters finally subside there will be a huge clean up and repair effort needed.


This is the second flood for us in 2 weeks, as we had a small one come through on the tuesday after christmas that we had to move everything to the second level for, but this one happened alot quicker and came a lot higher than we expected, and we did not have time to make the preperations that we normally would have.


It is hard for us to comprehend at the moment just how we are going to recover from this disaster. Of course we are not the only one effected, Queensland is covered in floodwaters right down the coast, with huge amounts of rain predicted south of us around the capital, Brisbane, in the next 24 -48 hours.

[Shannamay]

Oh Sam, I've been following this on the news of course, as well as the devastating floods in the north of our state here, and I've been wondering whereabouts you were in the midst of it all. So sorry for your family's trouble - you are in my thoughts tonight. Good old Dorothy sure had it right when she said, "a land of drought and flooding rain" didn't she. This country of ours can be very cruel at times. Keep us posted if you can ...

[anke]

Oh Sam, I am so sorry! That has to be devastating!

[conorsmum]

Oh my, this is awful. Thinking of you and your family.

[dfwest]

Been following this story on the news and it is just so sad and devastating. Glad you are safe which is the important thing. You and your family are in my thoughts.

[ashleygg]

This is just terrible! I'm so sorry. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

[Steph]

Oh Sam, I am so sorry.

[Julie DeGuia]

What an ordeal for you and your family to be going through... sorry you were not able to do more to prepare and hopefully things will be easier to clean up than you fear. What a picture though... glad you are all safe.

[Scrapbird]

Oh, Sam! I'm glad you posted. I am so sorry. I hope you and your community get back on your feet as quickly as possible.

[earlofoxford]

I'm glad you and your family are safe, Sam, but sorry for the damage to your business. I will keep you in my prayers.

[Squeak]

Thanks for letting us know that you and yours are okay, Sam. I'm so sorry for all of the damage that's been done to your business, and I'll keep good thoughts for a fast recovery.

[katie pertiet]

so sorry to hear this Sam. Saw it on the news and your photo really brings it home. My heart goes out to you and your family.

[cstaff]

I was afraid of this Sam. Think Sill is up there too? I'm so sorry and I can only imagine the mess and stress that this will cause. Hope this ends quickly.

[Amson]

Sam I am so sorry to hear about your families business. Are your homes safe? With the rain we have received overnight, it seems things will get worse before it improves. My thoughts are with you. Keep safe.

[muddygirl]

Thanks everyone. Yes Carylon, our homes are safe. My parents live on a farm about 30 mins out of town, and while they get cut off, they are not near the river and are wet and soggy from the weeks of rain, but not flooded. My brother had a yacht in the Marina, but he had just evacuated when I took this photo, heading down to safe waters in Hervey Bay . My home is on high land, though I now have river views across the road as the water has risen into a nearby park.
I woke in the middle of Saturday night , after a day of back breaking work and stress evacuating, with a huge thunderstorm ovr head, and just thought how lucky we were to be safe and warm and dry in our beds, my parents were asleep in the next room, my son and nephew in the other, and my brother and SIL safe too. We are all safe, tired, worn out, physically in pain from the work and worried and stresssed about our livelyhoods, but we are all here together and safe. Our men have had to do dangerous work out in boat to secure the yatchs and the marina it's self , but no one has been hurt doing this work, so we are fortunate.

There has been further rain overnight, and the predictions for the river height downstream keep getting raised, so we will just have to wait and see what will happen when thoses waters finally reach us. We have done everything we can to prepare now, so it's just a waiting game.

[mugsbigsis]

God Bless, Sam.

[kikimama]

Wow, saw the floods on the news, and was wondering if any of you lived close by. Hope your parents business can recover, glad you are all safe.

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Praying for all to work out soon for you, Sam. What a terrible time for you and your family. Thanking God that you are all safe and together.

[Britgirl]

thinking of you, keep safe.
I hope it recedes sooner than thought and you can get back to work putting the 'normal' into your life.

[hendon]

Have been watching this on the news every night ... just seems to be getting worse. I can't imagine how long it's going to take for all that water to go away. Am pleased you and your family are safe, but so sorry to hear about the business. Hope things improve soon

[connieg]

Oh Sam, my heart goes out to you and your family, this is terrible. Glad you are all safe and have a dry place to lay your weary heads at night. You'll be in my prayers.

[Kayleigh]

Oh gosh Sam, this is horrible. Hoping that this is the worst of it & it gets better from here out. I will be thinking about you & your family.

[twinmama]

Hugs Sam. Feel really out of it living here in Hervey Bay, so relying on photos, and news over the net and from family to know what's happening in Maryborough (which is my home town).

[Lynn Grieveson]

I've been reading about this as we travel around and really feeling for everyone affected. The floods sound just dreadful, and hearing your story (and seeing that pic) just bring it home. ((Hugs)) to you and anyone else here affected. Hope you get some relief soon (but you must be dreading the clean up)

[KarenA]

Oh Sam my thoughts are with you and your family and everyone else affected by these devastating floods.
I am in Central Queensland, not far from Emerald. we are ok as our town is not on a river, we have had lots of rain though and our roads out have been cut on occasions. Our supermarket managed to get a fruit & veggie truck through yesterday, our first fresh supplies since well before Christmas. But in the scheme of things with these floods that is a very very minor inconvenience.
Hope all your family continue to stay safe Sam

[Aino]

I can't even begin to comprehend what a disaster this really is. My heart really goes out to you and your family.

[krystav]

Oh Sam, while I am verry happy to hear that you and your family are unhurt and safe together I cannot begin to touch on how tough this must be on all of you, seeing your livelyhoods and community suffer from nature at it's worst.

My thoughts go out to you, hope you will get some relief soon!

[carollee]

Oh Sam honey, I'm so sorry this is affecting you. It's crazy, we're meant to be in drought. And the rain keeps coming. My heart goes out to you and your family. {{{{hugs}}}}

[esther_a]

Oh, Sam! The torture of this is that there is no end in sight! I am so sorry that your family has been so severely effected. It is hard to believe that is the 2nd story! It is almost incomprehensible the area that has been inundated! I am so glad you are all safe and have your homes. I feel for the many thousands not so lucky!

[digigrandma]

I, too, want to let you know how sorry I am about how this flood is affecting you all in Queensland.

Sam, I am sending you a big cyber hug to let you know I care about you and you family. I am grateful you are safe. The work sounds exhausting. I will pray for you.