I don't know how many of you have seen the quite awesome footage of the 'tsunami' of floodwater hitting Toowoomba (http://www.theage.com.au/environment/weather/at-least-eight-dead-72-missing-as-inland-tsunami-hits-queensland-towns-20110111-19ldz.html). It's like watching a river in flood, but actually it's the main streets of Toowoomba as the wall of water (up to 8 metres high!) tosses cars around like children's toys and carries away a house in one instance at least. Inevitably there must be a human cost as well, and it could be pretty serious - 8 confirmed dead now, but 72 missing.
I was guilty of thinking the Queensland floods were less serious than they are. Floods are part of our lot, just as drought and bushfire. Watching the footage of the countryside and Queensland towns swamped in water was impressive without being terrifying. The economic cost is huge and the area affected - as big as France and Germany combined - pretty remarkable. And yet.
There is no yet now. I should have known better and I feel culpable now for not doing so. The worst of floods normally subside within a week at the most - it has been 2 weeks now and it is getting worse. This is the wet season, the season of cyclones, so who knows where or how it wil end.
The real cost is the devastation to people's lives. Many have lost everything, home and livelihood. Now there is the human cost, which is certain to climb much higher.
This is a national tragedy. It will take a lot of work to recover from this, and much can never be recovered. We live in strange times - national tragedies seem to have become a regular event.
Our hearts are with our Queensland friends.
http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/environment/weather/fatal-wave-of-water-hits-toowoomba/20110111-19li1.html?selectedImage=2
