topic Re: Brisbane Floods in Modeling

Brisbane Floods

Link — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:41:08 GMT

Thanks to the members who have expressed concern and sent wishes regarding the Brisbane Flood.

I'm doing fine as I live outside the flood zone. However, our office is located
next to the Brisbane River and is directly in the path of the flood.

Whilst we have had plenty of warning and none of the chaos that was experienced in Toowoomba (a city upstream), there is no stopping the water now. Even the Wivenhoe Dam can't hold it. Reports are there is two times the amount of water in the Sydney Harbour headed our way. And we have king tides pushing upstream.

So last night and most of this morning was spent moving all computers, servers, paperwork, furniture, everything up one level. Water is filling our street and if our sandbags don't hold, will fill our office in the next big high tide (due at 4am AEST). And we're lucky compared to some.

Depending on where you're reading this from, you can see a lot more in the coming days at:

www.couriermail.com.au
www.abc.net.au/emergency/flood/
twitter.com/#qldfloods

Even Rugby League's greatest stadium is under.

Strangest part about it is that it's sunny, calm, no inland tsunami, no shaking earth, it's just all very tranquil.

Will be an interesting few days and I hope it's not as bad as the 1974 floods that reached 5.45m.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Brisbane Floods

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:57:52 GMT

Glad to hear you're OK. I hope all is back to normal soon.

Re: Brisbane Floods

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:00:25 GMT

Hope all turns out as well as can be expected for you, and everyone else over there. It sounds horrific. Meanwhile over here, aftershocks continue to hit Christchurch after last year's earthquake. What's up with our planet?

Ironically, a friend of mine has just moved over to Brisbane - he got sick of the incessant rain we had here last winter - but thankfully is out of the danger area.

With regard to Suncorp Stadium - as a Wellington Phoenix fan I would be happy to have the match played here in Hamilton, as a Brisbane home game

Best wishes

Re: Brisbane Floods

Rod Jurich — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 06:33:59 GMT

Cheers Link, many thanks for the links.
Pity you can't send some of that water over to us.
Keep safe.

Re: Brisbane Floods

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 07:09:22 GMT

Link
Did the sandbags hold out? Hope all is -relatively- ok. What does the expected 5.5m high tide relate to at your street level?
As Rod said we only have bushfires to worry about over here in WA - most of which are started intentionally. As if natural disasters are not enough..

Re: Brisbane Floods

Steve Jepson — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:53:13 GMT

By null at 2011-01-13

Re: Brisbane Floods

Link — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 23:56:07 GMT

Fortunately the flood waters did not rise as high as expected. In fact it was about a metre lower, so our office was left untouched. What a relief.

Having said that, the whole area is a disaster zone. Here is some footage taken in our street as the water recedes. The smell and mess is unimaginable, which is why people look like they are walking around dazed and confused. So much damage to buildings, infrastructure and the environment.

There are plenty of pics available. They give a good idea of the height of the water, but the real damage lies below.

Long road ahead for many people who are in desperate need of help.

Thanks everyone for your concern.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Brisbane Floods

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:40:12 GMT

Glad to hear you've got off relatively lightly. A friend of mine who lives in Brisbane that I was not able to get in touch with turns out to be in London at the moment. Not sure what he's coming back to.

Screenshot from footage link, above. Someone making lemonade when they get lemons?

Re: Brisbane Floods

Link — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 03:51:58 GMT

Funny - didn't notice that. Although the water is pretty toxic and I'm not sure I'd want to go in for a dip.

Anyway, back to work now, powers on, phones will be back on by COB. Lots of mud and junk around the streets. There's a good before and after demo at:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/infographics/qld-floods/beforeafter.htm.

It looks like they've copied ArchiCAD's Trace Reference Slider too!

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Brisbane Floods

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 08:02:27 GMT

Link - the pictures say it all such a terrible mess out there. Hope that it all clears up for you and thank God that your family are all fine.

The mess looks terrible the damage must be horrific to all the buildings !!

Good that your ok - keep in touch.

Myles.

Re: Brisbane Floods

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 04:37:58 GMT

I have been following the various tragedies in Australia - fires, then floods -- on BBC overnight for several weeks. I'm struck by how _little_ the photos capture, how static they seem, contrasted to the stories I have heard from people in the midst of these events and after these events. In one - dry streets one minute and the next, 10-ft wall of water with houses in it, cars, trees, ... whole towns essentially wiped away &/or buried under 4 feet of mud.

One wonder where the world's "Australian Relief Efforts" (fundraisers) are, such as after Bande Ache, Pakistan, Haiti, etc. How thankful we should be here, ... until our turn comes.

Re: Brisbane Floods

Link — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:31:44 GMT

There's certainly been a lot going on this year, but our thoughts are with the people in Christchurch, New Zealand. They are having a terrible time with the earthquakes. The one that hit the city yesterday did major damage and killed a lot of people.

Since they were still rebuilding after the quake in September, one would think it will take a long time for them to recover from this one.

Cheers,
Link.