Photograph: The tidal wave which swept through Toowomba, January 10th. Photo by Troy Campbell, reproduced with kind permission of the Brisbane Times.
The worst floods for 100 years have hit areas of Queensland in Australia and, already, Rotary clubs across Great Britain and Ireland are offering support to the people in the devastated areas. Rotary has previously helped Australia, most notably during the bushfires of 2009.
Drew Hughes, International Resource Group Chairman for Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) says this is a painful waiting game: “Contact has been made with fellow Rotarians in Australia to offer support to affected communities. Right now, though, it is too difficult to identify the help needed as the situation is changing hour by hour. Frustratingly, these needs will only become clear when the water subsides.”
Rotary District Governor Judith Henderson is in Central Queensland: “The biggest worry to me right now is the extreme flooding. Most of my district has been affected. The rain started before Christmas. Complete towns have had to be evacuated. Roads and rail lines are just torn up. At this time, I have only two areas, Mackay and Gladstone, that have not had any floods. Many homes have been completely submerged or had water in them. Some of these places have had three floods go through in a short time with water repeatedly rising and falling. It has just been horrendous. Emotional scarring will stay with people long after the floods have subsided. That is where Rotary might be able to assist, but it is too early to say that yet.”
Rotarians Jock and Viola Psaros from Toowoomba in South East Queensland said: “We’ve had 10 years of drought and yesterday we got 10 years of rain in a few hours. We were lucky as the water was lapping just below our front door. The street was like a huge river and we just stood there and watched. At the end of our street, the creek, which is usually 99 per cent dry, was about 3 metres high and roaring.”
Keep visiting the RIBI website for further updates.
