What a week!
Who would believe the events that have unfolded in the 7 days since my last post. On Monday whilst visiting a neighbour, the rain came down, yet seemed no more or less than the rain we have had for weeks. Yet, it was. We stepped out of the neigbouring house into a torrent of water. Our backyard became a creek whilst our neighbours behind us suffered a river. These two ‘tribaturies’ combined and raged down our street. Every neighbour was out watching the newest river in Highfields. Little did we know that every single street in Highfields and Toowoomba was suffering the same fate and some much worse than others.
My husband was working in town as a paramedic that day and when I called to say the shed had flooded again, his reply was “Can’t talk. It’s kaos in town!”. An instant inland tsunami is the term they have coined to describe what happened in our beautiful city that afternoon. Cars, people, property, houses and livelihoods washed away without warning. So far the death count is 12 (and set to rise). In Toowoomba there are only 1 or 2 degrees of separation so we have friends and acquaintances that have watched their cars disappear in muddy torrents; children ripped from their arms by flood water and houses inundated by the run-off. We have not had a tv during all of this so we have relied heavily on internet news broadcasts, Youtube and ABC radio.
In amongst all this we have attempted to continue moving house and working. It has been stressful to say the least but we also are constantly reminding ourselves how lucky we are.
This week we found a tenant; got carpet cleaned; pest control done; garden attended and tree cut back; keys cut; locks fixed; door fixed; cleared more out of the house to the storage space; caught up with friends and their washing machines; made and answered numerous phones calls to and from family and friends; picked up Steve’s backpack and cleaned cleaned cleaned. We move out of the house tomorrow – I can’t wait!
The events in Toowoomba are just heart wrenching. I can’t watch the news clips of cars being washed away anymore because I know there were people in those cars. The news reports of children being ripped out of parents hands are just devastating to read, little own live through. The floods in Brisbane are bad but everyone had a warning and the water came up gradually so people are just dealing with property and income loss, not lives. We’re so glad your family are all safe, even if as you say no one is OK because you are dealing with your friend’s losses.
Congrats though on getting out of the house! If your down this way in the next few days and want to catch up just call.
Hi Baigrie’s = time is flying and soon you’ll be on your way. Can’t believe you’re almost out of the country. What will I do without my child health nurse on tap? Who will I call to debrief about my inlaws? Aah! We’d better email lots or something. Anyway – catch up with you soon.
Love Simone and gang