City residents woke to devastating scenes after the Brisbane River peaked at 14 feet in the night.
The city and 50 suburbs in Queensland are now involved in a clear up of massive proportions after 11,900 homes have been seriously flood damaged.
The floods have now claimed 15 lives although there are also around 70 people missing. One man was swept into a storm drain, another teenager drowned alongside his mother as their car was washed away.
Slowly, evacuated residents are returning to see what remains of their homes, travelling by boats or “tinnies”, and bringing in food to those still in the flooded areas.
But although the Brisbane River did not peak as high as expected, there are other lesser anticipated problems.
High levels of sewage and chemicals present health issues on the one hand whilst reports of deadly snakes loose in the floods have also circulated.
Tearful state premier Anna Bligh told reporters that some of the areas affected would not be habitable anymore, adding: “We now face a reconstruction task of post-war proportions.”
by Dinah Hatch
