This week our hometown of Brisbane has suffered the worst floods in over 30 years. With continual rainfall over the past month, the dams were overflowing and the warnings by authorities were that our beautiful city was under threat of severe flooding. The water had started rising on Tuesday and the banks of the Brisbane River were in overflow mode. Adam had to leave his office that afternoon as surrounding streets became inundated and waters started threatening road closures. It's only when you turn on the television to see familiar streets being filled with water that you realise the seriousness. By Wednesday morning, the damage was unfolding as suburb by suburb was reported as flooded. We decided to take the girls for a walk to Rosalie, one of our favorite cafe and park stops only to discover it totally inaccessible due to rising waters. The site was like something out of a movie with waters lapping around all the stores and homes in the village. There were choppers flying above all day, constant news updates on every channel and the sound of ambulance sirens. People were starting to clear the supermarket shelves of bread, batteries and nappies! I took Hana to the supermarket Tuesday afternoon only to be faced with a line of people outside Woolies.
The news was announcing that by 4am Thursday high tide would be reached and thus the true extent of the damage. A very eerie feeling going to bed the night before. Even though we were reassured by the fact that our house is at a safe height, all around us was flooding. Friends and family were calling and sharing their accounts of it. Adam went around to Andy and Eva's to help move furniture back in to their house after they had moved it to higher ground just in case. Lucky for them there home was safe but for thousands it wasn't the case. Scott and Rika's Japanese friends are away in Japan while flood waters came up to their home in Oxley. Scott took the initiative to gather a few friends to help with the clean up and was overwhelmed with the support offered by total strangers that rocked up to help.

Brisbane communities have sprung in to action, with thousands volunteering in the clean up effort. Rosalie alone was swift in the clean up. In just one day the roads were open again as swarms of people banned together to clean up houses, schools and businesses. Leslie dropped off Archer so that she could head up to Woolworths to pick up donated bbq supplies for Paul to cook up for the 300 or so volunteering in Rosalie. It's been amazing to experience the tremendous community spirit. I truly have a whole new respect for the people of this city we are proud to call home.