Brissie has been through the wars since Sunday.
On Sunday afternoon, what has been described as a mini Tornado ripped through the North Western suburbs of Brisbane and resulted in 6000 homes damaged, with 80 being condemned and needing to be demolished.
It's been raining ever since then - and another storm hit at about 11pm last night. It was incredibly slow moving - to go about 200klm it took over 4 hours. Fortunately, it went a sightly different direction, and the wind included wasn't as damaging, but still another 100 or so houses damaged, and most of Brisbane's major roads have been damaged - with a number of them closed due to flooding.
Since Sunday, it's estimated that the Brisbane region (South East Qld) has had over 300mm of rain (our monthlyl November average is 190).
On one hand - it's great to break the drought! Our Dams are filling! On the other hand - our wonderful SES volunteers are stretched to the limit. I was called into work to answer emergency calls at 11pm last night - got home at 8am this morning!
I'm OK - it's a sunny day today (which may be good - is the first day of Aus vs NZ cricket at the Gabba) but there are storms forecast for tonight, tomorrow and Saturday evenings, so more damage is likely.
The Premier and Prime Minister declared The Gap (worst hit suburb on Sunday) a disaster area on Tuesday - and are likely to declare the whole of Brisbane that today.
The Emergency Services response has been outstanding (even if I do work there...). The "Orange Angels" (SES = State Emergency SErvice) have, like normal, put aside their own concerns (including damage to their own properties) to help others, Fireies have volunteered to work extra shifts so that the response for any fires won't be affected, we have had Rural Fire Volunteers and SES descend from elsewhere in the state - and even from northern New South Wales.
Add to this the army barracks at Enoggera sending out the soldiers and the low security prisoners also volunteering to help (you know - the ones doing time for unpaid fines!) and there is a small army of people helping to clean up, and another small army of volutneers offering counselling.
Our complex down the road from me (being the Emergency Services HQ) has the canteen running 24 hours, as the complex is being used a s a shift changeover point for SES and Fire volunteers, and the canteen operators (Spotless Services - they deserve some kudos!) and staff have volunteered to work to provide the volunteers coming off a shift with a hot meal - not to mention the stream of coffee going to the people manning Disaster Command (the call centre, and logistics area). The head of Emergency Management Qld looks like a zombie (and, unfotunately, his house was destroyed - yet he has put the well being of others first) and all regular DES work has been suspended until all is fixed.
Reason for this: you never really appreciate the people who volunteer until you need them.
Going to get some sleep now.....
