Jan. 11: Thousands of people fled Australia’s third largest city Brisbane, in cars, buses and trains as a tsunami-like tidal wave was roaring from an upland valley into the city, having already killed 10 people and left 72 others missing.
The city in panic braced for its worst flooding in over 100 years as waters from rain-triggered flash floods rushed into the city. The floods have been made worse by the Brisbane river bursting its embankment threatening 6,500 houses in the city, the mayor, Lord Cambell Newman, said.
“Today it is tolerable, tomorrow is going to be bad and Thursday is going to be devastating,” Lord Newman said as swelling waters were moving towards the city. The exodus from the city began by bus, train and car, a day after flash floods washed away large parts of the valley town Toowoomba, 125 km west of Australia’s Great Dividing Range. Rainwaters gushed with such ferocity that they appeared like tsunami waves throwing up houses, cars and trees like toys.
Acute foodstuff shortages have already been reported from the city with a population of over two million with bread, milk, bottled water and candles being reported sold out. Military helicopters soared in the sky monitoring the passage of swollen waters as Queensland’s premier, Ms Anna Bligh, said more deaths were expected from flash floods.