Floods in Queensland Australia

[Lin ASL Ebron]

http://rt.com/news/australia-queensland-floods-823/

Any word from friends/family in the affected area. They're in our prayers.

Agape',

Lin Ebron

ASL Congregation

Eastern NC

[surfergirl]

I only just heard about the Floods & Tornado. Yesterday I had to drop of some Ironing. My customer said have you heard about the floods. No. Oh Boy. that's were we are heading this weekend for camping & my Brothers wedding is in the Sunshine coast but they showed last night on the areas were we are have been planning to go. Its terribly affected by the floods. & Tornado as well.

So many affected. I find it amazing In a disturbing way how. we can have extreme fires and Mega Heat. To flooding & cyclones I feel for the people in those areas.

[bagwell1987]

Oh dear, I am thinking of you and keeping everyone in my prayers. Terrible to have such extremes in weather.

[Myree]

Gabe - camping at the Sunshine Coast this weekend!

Before you go, have a look at the news and weather reports for the weekend. At the moment there is major flooding in Brisbane and surrounding areas. However the weekend might be fine, but lots of roads are cut due to the flooding.

A superstorm is expected to arrive in Sydney around dawn tomorrow morning, bringing 125 km/hr winds. Probably reach the Illawarra not long after that. Kids go back to school on Wednesday eek!

Brings a poem to mind:

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons,

I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror -

The wide brown land for me".

From fires to floods, it is certainly a country of extremes, made worse by the damage mankind has done to the planet.

[surfergirl]

Thanks Fiona you made me want to sing

Waltz Sing Matilda. Lol.

Camped by the billabong.

Thanks for heads up.

[surfergirl]

[attachment 7917 yacht.jpg This pictures the first2 are Sea Foam across the road

Attached files

[Astrid]

:surrender:looks like snow?

[surfergirl]

I thought so too. Surfers Paradise/ Gold Coast well the main stretch of road is close to the beach.

[rocket]

Sea foam blankets Australian town Video. Shoulder deep foam.

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/sea-foam-blankets-australian-town/2j8f1bikv

[bagwell1987]

Where does all the foam come from? I live on the ocean and have never seen such a thing. Didn't see it in the US hurricanes either. Perhaps Australia's water has different salt content??

That was awesome link Lynn. Really looks like snow.

[50gumbys]

Did you see the clip of the car emerging from the foam ?????

What were they thinking ????

There were 2 policemen right there - and they were too dazed to go after the car!

Oh - we just got phone and Internet access back - yayyy !!!!!

Gabe - camping at the Sunshine Coast this weekend!

I don't think you'll be going camping this weekend?

Friends in Bundaberg not doing well.

Power's out.

North end of town going under.

They've said that some of the homes could be swept out to sea, the water's gushing so fast.

Now a super storm heading for Sydney ??????

[50gumbys]

Car driving through sea foam

I hope I've done this correctly.

It's supposed to be the clip of the car driving out of the foam.

[surfergirl]

I saw those shots on the news Lori. Weird. & the car coming out of the foam.

How far up QLd Lori. Are you?.

I saw on the news the weather cells where the Cyclone Started.

Went out to sea came back in &Travelled down. Hope you all ok

Ok up there

[50gumbys]

I'm in Townsville Gabe.

We thought we'd get a cyclone at first.

We got winds and got bucketed on.

But it didn't stick around.

I really thought it would disappear out at sea.

Now the temperatures are soaring.

This is unbelievable.

[surfergirl]

We are waiting til Saturday. Before heading up. But thanks for heads up.

I hope it doesn't get to hot for you.

My hubby wanted to go to Marybourough. Hervey Bay.

I think He might change his mine. Take care

[rocket]

Where does all the foam come from? I live on the ocean and have never seen such a thing. Didn't see it in the US hurricanes either. Perhaps Australia's water has different salt content??

That was awesome link Lynn. Really looks like snow.

Obviously the storm whips up the sea foam. Water temperature may have something to do with it. We get some along the Oregon coast from time to time but nothing like in those pictures.

[50gumbys]

Are the roads open ?

We've still got roads cut up here.

[bagwell1987]

Where does all the foam come from? I live on the ocean and have never seen such a thing. Didn't see it in the US hurricanes either. Perhaps Australia's water has different salt content??

That was awesome link Lynn. Really looks like snow.

Obviously the storm whips up the sea foam. Water temperature may have something to do with it. We get some along the Oregon coast from time to time but nothing like in those pictures.

Yes, that sounds reasonable. Has to be Temp. We're on the beaches after some pretty wild storms during a clam dig and we see some, like you said, but up over the head?? Wheesh!

[countrykaren]

Where does all the foam come from? I live on the ocean and have never seen such a thing. Didn't see it in the US hurricanes either. Perhaps Australia's water has different salt content??

That was awesome link Lynn. Really looks like snow.

Its from the wind and the sea all stirred up.. I live on the other side of

the country so its very hot here.. but the news report said that.

[bagwell1987]

Wow! That was SOME stirring, from the reports it's been a terrible time for the folks there.

[50gumbys]

It's weird, but the flooding still isn't over.

Rockhampton got hit again with flood waters that have been building from out west.

Bundaberg's residents are just now able to go back to their homes to see if anything is left.

We saw on the news, a house that had floated onto a road and was sitting in the middle of it.

And the death toll is up to 6 people, unnumbered animals and stock.

[50gumbys]

I spoke to Lyn who lives in Bargara last night.

She told me that around 330 brothers have converged in town to help with the cleanup.

Some other stats are - 300 people were winched to safety during the flood. 70 of these were brothers and their families.

Over 1500 people have been displaced from their homes.

Now the government is talking about completely relocating the entire area, since it is prone to flooding.

[Myree]

I think Australia is copping climate change big time especially Queensland!! Insurance will get harder to come by. The extreme weather came down the coast and we copped it on the coast, near Sydney. We had days of wind and rain whereas years ago we wouldn't have been affected by a cyclone in Queensland! Bible prophecies are being fulfilled but only Jehovah's people can see the sign.

[LindaL.]

I've just finished reading a very encouraging email sent to me from Australia. I'll copy and paste it here exactly as I received it. What a privilege to belong to Jehovah's organization!

Oggetto: Fw: Sunday 3rd February 2012 update on Bundaberg Floods

Hello Everyone!

Thought you'd like this report on the brothers and sisters up at Bundaberg if you haven't received it already - its amazing!! Jehovah provides when in need. Enjoy the read!

Love from your sister

Ilea

---

Dear all

Thought you might all like another update on the situation with our wonderful brothers and sisters in the Bundaberg Region.

The clean up began Thursday afternoon and it is now Sunday night. We are all very, very tired but pumped with love from all of the association and the loving messages that are filtering through. I think most of us are now running on adrenaline.

Here is an update on some figures for you all:-

73 Brothers , 21 Bible Studies and 11 others associated with Jehovah's witnesses were all evacuated from there homes. There were 49 homes flooded. Since Thursday afternoon, in just 3 1/2 days 34 homes have now been cleaned out. There are 63 brothers who have been rehoused. Workers came from Tannum Sands, Hervey Bay, Gladstone, Bundaberg South, East, North and Bargara Congregations. There have been on average 256 volunteers per day with 303 peaking on Friday. As you can see so many brothers literally knee deep in mud.

On a personal note here is update from myself and husband who have been out working solid for the past four days to assist (daughter only 3 now has been fantastic coming along with Mum to the shed).

On Wednesday Michelle Loder and myself began the phone call chain for donations within the Bargara Congregation. We have a shed at the back of our hall and this was the designated place for clothes, food and any cooked food that would arrive. Wednesday morning we had two freezers loaned to us and set up in the shed for cooked meals to be frozen and distributed.

By Thursday afternoon our shed was full of clothes, tin food, linen, toiletries, shoes, kitchen utensils by Bargara and Bundaberg East congregations to be distributed to our brothers.

Friday afternoon, we had cars arrive from Tannum Sands congregation with more clothes, cooked food and loving donations. Our little shed was now starting to become full to the brim and we had to extend outside on the patio and put some tarpaulins up to protect from weather.

On Saturday afternoon with had a full van arrive from Hervey Bay brothers and sisters with much needed tin food, water, milk, pegs, rope, kitchen utensils, toiletries etc. We had to call in six sisters to help us unpack all the items. The brothers that delivered advised us just phone and we can be back with more. Our hearts were so moved with the love. The day before we were a little short on boys clothes and we were concerned. Jehovah heard us because when we started unpacking Hervey Bay's clothes there were over 6 bag fulls of boys clothes. Jehovah provided where there was a need and had a laugh with us.

On a much more personal level we have an Indian couple with a two year old who are studying with a sister in Bundaberg East. They have been studying for three months but have been doing very very well. They lost there home in Bundaberg East. The brothers were able to find them a small unit above a shop with four very small rooms to be relocated. The little boy only had what he was wearing, the mother only pyjamas and the father not much. We were finally given the go ahead to pack clothes and take them to there home.

When arriving the brothers were there with a cot, fridge, bed and other furniture to set them up. Sister Michelle arrived with the clothes. They were so moved and so humble that it made you cry. I was privileged to do the second and third run to there home with more food, frozen cooked meals, linen, clothes and of course some little toys for our 2 year old and a bean bag, that somebody donated (we thought the two year old would love that).

They were so moved. The mother and I hugged and we just embraced for a few moments without letting go. The emotion was so overwhelming for all. She was just so pleased to have somebody to hug and hold her. The father also held our hands and was close to tears and could not get over the love that Jehovah's people had shown them. When he tried on a shirt that we delivered and hit fit he was so pleased. Like a little boy with a new toy. A true witness in a time of need. I have never seen a man so happy that some shoes and a shirt fitted. I took Karalyn with me who is 3 now and she handed them a towel and that was her little way of helping. The humility was outstanding. We asked them if they needed towels. They said yes we are ok we have two. Only two! Well we fixed that. They now have about 8. They were more worried about our other brothers and sisters getting items.

This afternoon we packed up some sisters packs which included a towel, face washer, soap, underarm, sanitary napkins, toothbrush, toothpaste to keep them going. Brothers had a similar pack but had shavers put in them. Laundry packs were also distributed.

Linen packs, food packs etc went over. They made an announcement today to the congregations to start bringing people through the shed that needed items. We had a sister bring in an Italian Return Visit who speaks no English. We were able to give her five bags full of necessary items that she needed. She could not speak English, so the sister translated for us both. She could see the love and went around all the sisters in the shed and hugged us to say thankyou and she was so appreciative.

Now the announcements have been made we will have more to start coming through tomorrow. Yesterday, Saturday morning we emptied a chest freezer full of cooked meals to be sent to our brothers and sisters in Bundaberg North. The fridge was now empty. I was concerned about what we would do for the following day. I need not have doubted Jehovah in any way because by 4pm the freezer was once again full. We advised the brother who was taking care of the meals and told him we had a freezer full. He said "no we don't it was emptied this morning". We said "come and have a look". His jaw dropped open.

From my husbands perspective:-

Saturday morning the go ahead was for our brothers to be able to enter Bundaberg North and begin the clean up. We were only allowed in with a resident of Bundaberg North. We met a sister at her shop and she then jumped in and escorted five cars across. When we pulled up at the Bridge the police were told that she was bringing the next five cars through. All were permitted. the clean up now began.

We entered a home that lost most of there antique furniture under the house as they own an antique and second hand store and were storing at there home. Some was salvageable and some were totally destroyed. The mud thick and slippery making our work more difficult. The stench was overwhelming and potent. Helped out another brother by tearing down his collapsed shed and fallen tree and fence.

I now have graduated to be a guerni operator. Helped out on 40 units that needed to be clean. We had some elderly sisters that live in there but most belong to people not associated with the witnesses. The owner made it quite clear he did not want witnesses in to help. So we just entered the sisters units and helped with those. The owner was watching because the next day he gave the go ahead for witnesses to come and help clean all the units. He was impressed with diligence and everybody just getting on with the job without any arguing. He saw a good thing and changed his heart attitude.

Today we entered the war zone again at Bundaberg North and assisted with a family who house was inundated with water as they live near the river. It was full of mud and silt. Mud was so thick ands slippery. Mud was thick ankle deep out the back yard. You can see the beautiful hand knitted blanked on the bed and half of it is mud and the top half still in good pristine condition. A large army out of over 256 brothers today with over 60 in one house at a time. Power was on but no water. We had to use large containers of water that we took in to use the guerni. One brother bought in a small water tank which was used.

Houses sitting on intersections will need to be demolished. There is one property which shows the house stumps all bent and falling over. Up the back paddock is the roof. The remainder of the house is scrawled all over the yard in bits and pieces. Unfortunately, they are never going home. Roads are clogged with mud or vanished with massive holes. Only one bridge in working action as the other has a massive slab missing. The queue is five intersections long with people trying to get over to north.

We sent over another two cars full of food and linen etc this afternoon to our brothers in need. We will know more details as the week continues and what they need.

Thank you to all our brothers and sisters for there messages and love. We are very moved by the love. But we are more touched when we see these ones just want to be hugged. The ones that have lost things do not want to take much from the donations because they are worried that other brothers and sisters may need them more. Very considerate. Very patient. It has also helped draw our own immediate congregation closer as we were together very closely and get to know them more.

We have one sister is cannot do much and is limited but she has been three days now assisting me at the shed and is faithfully there unpacking a bag that has been donated. Her love alone is so touching as she does what she is capable of.

We have had news that Cairns brothers and sisters would also like to bring down trailer fulls of donations. They may be directed to our brothers at Rockhampton who also have been inundated with floods.

Well hope this gives you a little more personal touch to what we are experiencing. We are all having our lesson and training for Armageddon. It just shows us what faith we will need to have when it arrives because we wont have the army to arrive to help and we wont have Woolworths trucks arriving with food so we will really need faith and each other that Jehovah will provide for us and our needs. Our depth has grown tremendously for Jehovah and what he has in plan for us in the future.

I will sign off now as I am back at the hall again at 8.30am to assist with ones coming through to obtain items. Please let your fellow brothers and sisters know as we are sure that they are concerned and worried.

[Rosalie4u]

How awesome that they are able to help so many!