Take Care.... QLD flooding again.

[catsnknots]

To all of those in QLD facing floods again good luck. 

140mm in my back yard last night. Roads flooded already and no let up on the near horizon. 

Take care, have your emergency plans ready to enact. 

They are opening up the dam gates down Brisbane way in preparation.... 

[katydidthat]

Good luck everyone.  

I went through the Brisbane floods two years ago ... am feeling somewhat safer in Coffs Harbour.  

What do I remember about preparation?

Collect water (LOL, funny, eh?  Kinda) for washing and the toilet and for drinking.  Fill the bathtub, fill containers and put in fridge.  

Buy food that will last, like rice, vegetables, pasta, meals that only need hot water added.  

Buy a Korean barbecue and lots of gas.  You can cook on these, boil water, and they are cheap and easy.  Think about simple recipes like rice and canned tomatoes.  

Eat the food in the freezer first in case of power failure.  

Keep all your laptops and phones charged.  

Make sure you have batteries for radios and torches.  

Get some candles, but keep them safe when lit.  

LISTEN to your local ABC for updates and check the BOM website for weather information.  

Think of activities that you and your family can do without power ... maybe print out some sudokus or other puzzles, get some stuff for young kids to play with, make some jewellery, read books.  

If your house or unit is in danger of being flooded, place important or valuable stuff up high.  Unplug power points close to the ground.  Move electrical stuff up high.  

Think about the need for sandbags ... last floods, I think the council provided them for free.  

Bring in treasured plants and garden furniture.  If you have an automatic garden watering system, turn it off and remove the plug.  

If you can, park your car on high ground.  

Keep in touch by texts with family and friends.  I was quite surprised at how many people worried about me.  

Plan ahead for any family members with medical problems ... get prescriptions filled, make sure there's enough oxygen ... 

[catsnknots]

yep.. Katy it sure does sound like have been there and done that... 

I hope we are all a little bit more prepared this time than last time. 

[katydidthat]

I was SO unprepared last time.  I got back to Brisbane after travelling around Australia for 4 weeks and I bought a loaf of bread at the local store on the way home that night ... a bit later I'm like "flood ... what flood?".  I hadn't heard anything about it.  I went out the next morning and bought frozen food and ready made sandwiches (basically all they had left at the 7/11).  The frozen food had to be thrown out with most of the rest of the contents of my fridge ... 

We did ok.  We didn't get flooded, but other buildings in our street did ... we were a couple of blocks away from the river in South Brisbane - luckily on higher ground and on the first storey.  

What was bad was the lack of information about things like power connection, shops open, where to buy stuff.  We lost power for about a week.  I was so happy we had the Korean bbq and could eat hot food.  

After a few days ... the phone and laptop were out of battery ... I couldn't stand it any more.  We walked to Wollongabba and it was like ***normal***.  Shops open, power, real life again ... checked into a hotel and stayed there until the power was reconnected.  

I really really really hope that South Bank doesn't get flooded again.  So many businesses suffered so badly.  It was dreadful to see it dark and closed with security guards around ... heartbreaking.  

[blondie.inc]

Pouring in Brisbane right now...raining all day and getting heavier.

Further north in the state and in the west ...already suffering flooded conditions with roads closed and people stranded.

Bizarre...last weekend was disgustingly hot and we went in search of long stored sprinkler to try and save our brown and crunchy lawn:^O Hubby is in Fire Department and had hands full with bushfires...

What a difference a week makes.

[monstersinthedungeon]

Pouring in Brisbane right now...raining all day and getting heavier.

Further north in the state and in the west ...already suffering flooded conditions with roads closed and people stranded.

Bizarre...last weekend was disgustingly hot and we went in search of long stored sprinkler to try and save our brown and crunchy lawn:^O Hubby is in Fire Department and had hands full with bushfires...

What a difference a week makes.

Was saying exactly the same thing to hubby just this evening; last week we had threat of bushfires, one week later, threat of flooding. What a wild country!

[blondie.inc]

Where are you monsters? Are you in Brisbane?

[catsnknots]

an amazing amount of rain over night and the gusts of wind are so strong I was woken several times... also woken by the SES behind me... sirens and all so I hope everyone is ok. 

The radar does not show any letup... this appears to be slow moving. 

I know there is water over the road for my drive into work. but I have no idea how bad it will be.... 

Good luck to those further down south.. I can guarantee that after this your lawn will no longer be crunchy and those empty water tanks will be full again.  

[daydream**believer]

LAst few weeks saw so many fighting so save their properties from bushfires and this week there are floods.

Stay safe everyone

[monstersinthedungeon]

Where are you monsters? Are you in Brisbane?

No, we're rural, near Toowoomba.

Our property went through the floods in 2011.

[sniper_patrol]

Been raining most of the night. Rain water tanks as quickly filling. Wind is gusting and the grass has a decidedly green tinge to it. Planted mature trees last week so this rain is very welcome. Sunshine Coast is just on the leading edge of it. According top B.O.M.