What makes you think nobody gives a damn Loren? I've had txts almost constantly the last couple of days from people checking we're okay. The media are completely hyping up what's going on in Brisbane though, and they're creating fear where they don't need to, in order to cash in on ratings. It's atrocious.
Try not to be afraid. Your best source of reliable updates is not the tv, but somewhere like the Qld police service - I find their twitter account the most reliable source of non-dramatised information -
~Link~ because how dramatic can you make a 140-character limited tweet? They advise of which areas are flooding, which areas have trees and power lines down, which emergency numbers to use if there's trouble, etc. The actual facts that we need to know right now.
What's happening now in Brisbane and the coast is bad, but it's nothing on 2011 for the majority of areas - everyone is saying that - and it's absolutely nothing to what's going on up further north of here.
We have heaps of warning, we have estimates about how far it's going to flood, etc. There are so many places outside of the city that are well and truly (dare I say it)
inundated - Bundaberg, Gympie, Laidley. There were tornadoes too, weren't there? Bit bonkers.
Yes, people in Brisbane are being effected - my relatives who visited yesterday for my brother's 30th couldn't get back home last night (they live at Tamborine, which got the most rain - something ridiculous like 700+mm in 23 hours O_O ) and MK and a few friends up north side haven't had power for nearly a full 24-hours, and some others are posting photos of minor flooding in the inner suburbs, but just keep in contact with the people you care about and make sure that they're okay.
People right now just need to execute common sense, not panic. The 2011 floods happened too recently for people not to automatically worry, sure...
Just...don't go out stickybeaking or - I don't know why people keep doing this -
playing in it. Keep your eyes on the
Council flood maps and if you're in an area that'll be flooded tonight or tomorrow, sandbag, and if the police tell you to evacuate, get out. The worst weather is over for us now (the ex-cyclone has gone), we just have to look out for the rising water in the next two days (which according to estimates won't even be
half of 2011's level).
Hope NSW is getting through it - according to the bom it's hitting you guys today. This is such weird weather - I can't remember a cyclone travelling so far south (even though it's technically not a cyclone any more), or sticking to the coast for so long without heading out to sea. It'll blow itself out in the next couple of days to be sure.
Then on to the next great adventure :| woo yay australia day weekend :| :| :|
Edit: Here's hoping QR cancel all train services so there's no possibility of going to work tomorrow...?