Saturday, January 22, 2011

Laidley Flood - not as high as 1974 - video

Here you go, found some video of the flood 11/1/11. At the end is stunning video of Murphy's Creek flood on 10/1/11, with before and after pictures of the quiet little creek.

There is a street before the "Hire" and "Solicitor" signs and it was a raging torrent, coming down William Street and crossing Patrick street.


Looking up Spicer Street toward the overpass, opposite Buhse's and the old Laidley Shire Council chambers.


Another short video showing how fast the water was flowing from the IGA carpark through the laneways into Patrick Stret and how swiftly the water was flowing down William Street.

The water flowing down William Street. The pub on the left, green roof, I understand has been condemned as the foundations have been washed away. The yellow building is Jo Jo's salon.

This is looking past Jo Jo's.


Laidley - Rosewood Road, looking west from the east side of Narda Lagoon, near the Pioneer Village. That water is incredible. It washed away some of the roadside and took out the rail along the bridge. In my story on December 27 about being stranded in Laidley the nighttime photos taken on my phone were of this bridge but from the other side. The water is much higher and flowing much faster this time.


Murphy's Creek, from the same storm cell which flooded Toowoomba, but not the same water, and which also flooded Flagstone Creek, Withcott, Helidon and Grantham, destroying houses and taking lives along the way. This video is frightening in that anyone caught in the water would surely be swept away.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Kae. This series brings home like nothing else I've seen, and we've all seen plenty, just how overwhelming, destructive and devestating this flood was.

The initial reaction, going by the comments on the first video, was typical of people experiencing what seemed to be a fairly mild event, making light of it. Then reality introduces itself when the water starts rushing in faster than anyone could imagine.

That last video is just plain scary.

Victoria's experience is quite different. The water doesn't rush in a torrent, but quietly and relentlessly spreads far, wide and deep. On a clip I saw this morning the reporter said it will be weeks before the water goes down and people can move back to start the cleanup.