Pray for Australia!

Queensland and Brisbane are threatened by looming amounts of rain...

Truck flooded in Australia

(QUEENSLAND / SALEM) - Parts of Australia are under threat of siege from billions of gallons of water; torrential rains have flooded sections of Queensland prompting a call for relief from the government.

Queensland has launched an appeal to help fellow residentss affected by the recent floods. Many communities have been devastated. Some families have lost everything.

You can help make a difference by donating to the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. At this time, the Queensland Government is inviting financial donations only. Unfortunately this appeal cannot accept donations of goods or services, but they can accept financial contributions: (Donate to the flood relief appeal - Queensland Government)

A comment on Salem-News.com from 'Dave wideawake in OZZ', states:

"Weather down here in ozz just going crazy, Queensland underwater, Brisbanes flood buffer dam totally full, they are having to release water to protect integrity of the dam structure!! I really fear for what is possible."

Dave says the Land Down Under has been faring somewhat well as the world reels from the Global Financial Crisis; but he suggests that there is little to trust when it comes to their politicians.

"Aust has been reasonably unaffected by GFC but I know our pollies are totally controlled, hope its not our time for something really major as I feel they can instigate absolutely anything, a dam burst above Brisbane would bring us to our knees...."

That sobering scenario is being washed into place by rains that swelled to flood level today. But there is a dawning ray of hope and with luck a recovery now underway will gain ground quickly and the dead will be recovered; that being the grim sad task that it is.

The second video is posted by the Queensland government. It shows the fast moving flood waters carrying cars away and threatening anything in its site.

To help out and donate to the flood relief appeal, go to http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

It shows rapid flash flooding in Toowoomba, Queensland sweeping several cars downstream. The death toll here is currently at 8 with 72 missing due to the 'inland tsunami'.

This flood is said to be a hundred year event. The damage from the flooding is reaching into the billions, but the human cost is what is more important.

MSNBC reports that thousands in Brisbane were forced to evacuate suburbs and city skyscrapers as rising waters threatened to inundate the financial district of Australia's third-largest city. There are reports of panicked residents stocking up with food and supplies.

France24.com reports that the flood death toll is rising. At this point 66 people are missing and the number keeps growing.

Damage caused by the unprecedented storm in Queensland could total $6 billion.

The number of homes and properties that were expected to flood jumped from 9,000 to 20,000 after the mayor of Brisbane raised the estimate.

Residents are said to have moved to higher ground above the Brisbane River, which burst its banks yesterday.

By nightfall, MSNBC reports, the normally bustling city of two million was mostly deserted.

The waters are expected to crest by Thursday.

Anna Bligh

The Sydney Morning Herald did sport a good outlook as a new day begins in Australia with this comment from Anna Bligh; the the current Premier of Queensland:

"The...good news is the rain has cleared, so we've now got a number of search and rescue teams all ready to deploy into that valley to really start what might be a very gruesome search this morning for bodies and our police and emergency workers there are going to have a very tough day today."

Ms Bligh warns in the article, as already cited; that the missing-person count could grow as searches intensify.

She said, "It's just a heartbreaking task that they're facing."

"It's a very grim prospect and, as I said, I think very painful day for some families in that region today and a pretty tough day for emergency and search and rescue teams who will really be able to get in there for the first time and I think they're going to find some real devastation."

Weather update:

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

Coastal Waters Wind Warning
For southeast Gulf of Carpentaria waters.
Issued at 5:15 am EST on Wednesday 12 January 2011

Synoptic Situation
The NW monsoon will continue across most Gulf of carpentaria waters, and increase about the southeast Gulf.

Strong Wind Warning
for southeast Gulf of Carpentaria waters west of Mornington Island
Winds are expected to increase to 25/30 knots at times during Thursday morning. Seas rising to 3 metres.

The next warning (click here) will be issued by 11 am Wednesday AEST.

Please be aware
Wind gusts can be a further 40 percent stronger than the averages given here, and maximum waves may be up to twice the height.

Sources:

20,000 homes likely to flood in Aussie city - msnbc.com

Flood teams face grim task as Grantham considered Queensland's ground zero - heraldsun.com.au

france24.com/en/

Military Flies Rescuers into Tsunami Valley - smh.com.au

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 65 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com