7 of 10 SINKING and TILTING; Aerial photography floods in Australia! Authorities: Victoria flood is the worst in a century! Residents said NSW flood worst in decades!

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Australia TILTING and BACKWASHING:

WORST FLOODING -

/ Many residents of central and southern New South Wales say the flooding is the worst for decades. Cam Woodside lives near Griffith, south-west of Forbes, and after flying over the town he told ABC News it's the worst flooding he's seen in 60 years. While in Victoria authorities are saying the flooding is the worst in a century./

/ Attention has focused on the NSW town of Wagga Wagga, 475km south west of Sydney, as it faces its biggest flood in 150 years. /

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/ More than 8,000 people fled their homes in Australia's flood-hit southeast Tuesday amid fears that a levee holding back the swollen Murrumbidgee River would fail. Floods have hit three eastern states this week, sweeping two men to their deaths after they attempted to cross waterways in cars while inundating hundreds of homes and causing millions of dollars in damage. Flooding has also hit rural regions in Victoria and Queensland states. /

/ Flood waters now cover large parts of eastern Australia after a slow, remorseless rise that's seen thousands evacuated and caused millions of dollars worth of damage. In northern Victoria residents, in the town of Nathalia are readying for one of the biggest floods in years. In south-east Queensland the Bruce Highway and railway lines have been cut, and in NSW a state of emergency has been declared at Wagga Wagga, where about 9,000 people have been given orders to evacuate. /

/ ABOUT 600 people have been ordered to evacuate from Griffith and surrounding areas, as rising floodwaters from the Murrumbidgee River threaten parts of the southern NSW city. /

Indonesia SINKING:

/ Flash floods hit the village and village Milango Bubode, Tomilito District, North Gorontalo Regency, Tuesday (06/03/2012) at 21.00 pm after heavy rains flushed the two villages since noon. An estimated 500 houses and hundreds of hectares of rice fields flooded with water levels less than 1 meter. /

/ Floods hit four villages in the district Sidareja, Cilacap regency, Central Java, on Monday (5/3) evening. As of Tuesday (6/3) flooding yards and streets are still flooded with a height of 30 to 50 centimeters (cm). /

/ Four of the eleven pilgrims sacred cave located in Kampung Kutamasigit, Desa Kutanegara, Kecamatan Ciampel Kab. Karawang, a flash flood swept died Monday (5/3) evening. /

Videos Australia flood:

Australia:

Floods near levees in Wagga Wagga and Forbes

MARK COLVIN: The flood emergency is spread tonight overall the eastern mainland states.

The focus of attention in New South Wales is centred on Wagga Wagga in the state's south and Forbes in the central west.

The Murrumbidgee River at Wagga Wagga is expected to peak this evening just below the height of the town's levees.

Eight thousand people there have been moved from their homes and a state of emergency has been declared.

In Forbes the Lachlan River is expected to peak on Thursday.

We'll speak to our reporter in Wagga Wagga shortly and hear what's happening in Victoria, but first this report from David Mark.

DAVID MARK: In Wagga Wagga all eyes are on the Murrumbidgee River. It was forecast to reach 10.9 metres but late today that figure was revised down.

It should peak at 10.6 metres any time now.

Andrew Richards is a spokesman with the NSW State Emergency Service.

ANDREW RICHARDS: So we're keeping an eye on the situation there as it creeps up towards that peak. There's a levee in town that is around the 11 metre mark and so it's very, very touch and go in terms of whether that will either A. overtop the levee or B. breach the levee.

DAVID MARK: How many houses, how many people would be affected?

ANDREW RICHARDS: We've currently issued an evacuation order for around 8,000 people in the CBD, central and Flowerdale areas. That was issued at 9.30 last night and that's the main area that we think will be affected by the levee.

DAVID MARK: The New South Wales Premier, Barry O'Farrell visited Wagga Wagga today and this afternoon he told Parliament a state of emergency had been declared.

BARRY O'FARRELL: My advice, confirmed on the ground in Wagga Wagga today is that if the levee is breached it may not be possible people to return to town for approximately three days.

Madam Speaker, should the levee not be overflow or should it not be breached the emergency declaration will be rescinded tomorrow morning.

DAVID MARK: Further north, Andrew Richards says the State Emergency Service is closely watching the rising Lachlan River in Forbes.

ANDREW RICHARDS: We're expecting to see a major flood level of 10.4 metres this afternoon. It's expected to peak near 10.65 metres on Thursday and this is likely to cut Forbes into three.

It already peaked last night at Nanami at 12 metres and there are currently around 560 people in Forbes affected by an evacuation order.

DAVID MARK: Ken Nock's newsagency is just a few streets from the river.

KEN NOCK: It's fairly busy at the moment. It's been busy all morning. The traffic, people are coming in and buying up supplies as they did yesterday.

All the bread was sold out early this morning, meat supplies, vegetables, things like that. This is because we're a farming community and a lot of the people who live on farms will be cut off in the next day or so and they won't know how long they'll be cut off for so they need supplies.

Roads in Forbes are cut and the traffic is a fair delay at intersections.

DAVID MARK: What's the mood like?

KEN NOCK: The mood's pretty good actually. They're a pretty resilient type of people in Forbes and they've seen floods before. We've got (inaudible) and they know that it's going to come this time so we don't know how high it's going to actually be but we are expecting it and they'll get through it.

DAVID MARK: Many residents of central and southern New South Wales say the flooding is the worst for decades.

Cam Woodside lives near Griffith, south-west of Forbes, and after flying over the town he told ABC News it's the worst flooding he's seen in 60 years.

CAM WOODSIDE: Certainly a lot of roads cut, a lot of houses in water. To the east of Griffith in the Leeton, Murrami area, a lot of houses in water there or sort of very you know surrounded by water.

I've followed the Mirrool Creek back out to what we call the Barren Box Swamp, and all the farms sort of within a kilometre and a half radius of each side of the creek are sort of pretty well inundated.

DAVID MARK: The good news is that the weather is fine for now.

Justin Robinson is a hydrologist with the Bureau of Meteorology.

JUSTIN ROBINSON: No it's quite good this week especially for the Riverina area where they've actually (inaudible) the meteorologists for telling us that it's going to be sunny today and they're not expecting too much more rainfall for the next of the week.

DAVID MARK: The bad news is that the floods will take weeks, and in some cases months, to move downstream so many other communities will be affected.

And it's not just New South Wales. In Queensland there are flood warnings for 13 rivers. While in Victoria authorities are saying the flooding is the worst in a century.

There are warnings for eight rivers, including a rare natural flush for the Snowy in Victoria, which has excited the naturalist Professor Richard Kingsford from the University of New South Wales.

RICHARD KINGSFORD: It's a very rare thing for water to get down the Snowy there and it will certainly add to the benefits in that system which have certainly been affected over a long period of time.

MARK COLVIN: Professor Richard Kingsford ending David Mark's report.

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2012/s3447052.htm

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Thousands evacuate NSW towns as floods continue in Australia

Vast areas of Australia's east and southeast are facing devastating flooding after weeks of heavy rain.

In NSW alone – Australia's most populous state – an area the size of France is either under water or at risk of going under, after 16 river systems have flooded. Southeast Queensland and northern Victoria also face serious threats of flooding.

"This is devastating for small businesses, for farmers and for those whose houses have been flooded," said NSW state premier, Barry O'Farrell, who toured the state's affected region.

Attention has focused on the NSW town of Wagga Wagga, 475km south west of Sydney, as it faces its biggest flood in 150 years.

Around 9,000 residents have been evacuated from the city centre amid fears the town's levee banks may not withstand the flood coming down the Murrumbidgee river.

It brings to 13,000 the number of people evacuated from their homes across the state.

The levee surrounding Wagga Wagga is 11m high and the river is expected to peak at 10.9m later on Tuesday. It's NSW's biggest inland city with 50,000 residents and it is an important agricultural, military and transport hub.

Residents have been filling sandbags to protect their properties and businesses. Two hundred and fifty homes on the north of the city have already been inundated.

"This is a very significant flood emergency and will continue to be a significant flood emergency down stream in the coming weeks," said James McTavish of the State Emergency Services.

Authorities have pleaded with residents to heed evacuation requests and to stay away from floodwaters.

The president of the NSW Farmers Association, Fiona Simson, said the floods will have a massive impact on rural communities.

"Not least because we know the government hasn't got a lot of money," she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The state government says it expects the bill for repairing roads alone will come to at least A$500m (£335m).

Rising floodwaters in southeast Queensland are also threatening properties. More than 200mm of rain fell in 24 hours in some areas this week.

An 82-year-old man died in the town of Gympie, about 175km north of Brisbane on Monday after his car was caught in rising floodwaters.

The deluge in southeast Queensland follows earlier flood emergencies in the state's inland areas, including the state's biggest emergency evacuation in the town of St George in February.

The huge amount of rainfall is being attributed to the La Nina phenomenon where the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean falls lower than normal by three to five degrees celsius.

It has meant NSW has had the ninth wettest and fourth coldest summer on record.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/06/australia-floods-nsw-ev...

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Thousands flee Australian flood-hit town
SYDNEY — More than 8,000 people fled their homes in Australia's flood-hit southeast Tuesday amid fears that a levee holding back the swollen Murrumbidgee River would fail.

Floods have hit three eastern states this week, sweeping two men to their deaths after they attempted to cross waterways in cars while inundating hundreds of homes and causing millions of dollars in damage.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the military had been deployed to several areas and was on stand-by to help other stricken towns if the crisis deepened.

"We've got floodwaters across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria," she told reporters.

"For the people of Wagga particularly, this is a very anxious time."

Some 8,800 people have been ordered to evacuate the city of Wagga Wagga and its surrounds where the Murrumbidgee is predicted to peak at 10.6 metres (35 feet), just below the levee's limit, later Tuesday.

"There is a significant risk that the levee will overtop or potentially breach," said State Emergency Service spokesman Andrew Richards.

Police urged any remaining residents within central Wagga to abandon their homes until the waters began receding, a prospect they warned could take up to 36 hours.

"We want to make absolutely sure that no one is left in a position of risk within the Wagga Wagga CBD," said assistant police commissioner Mark Murdoch.

While the levee was so far working to protect the town's commercial centre, across the river in North Wagga Wagga many of the homes from which 600 people had been evacuated had been swamped as storm defences were over-run.

"The reports we are getting from Wagga are that a significant number of homes in that area have been affected," Richards told AFP as the river rushed towards a level not seen since 1844.

Wagga Wagga has been hit by several significant floods since the earliest European settlement in the 1840s, and officials said residents had responded well to the latest evacuation order.

"I knew where my house lies -- if the levee were to overflow my street, it was pretty quickly going to go -- so I went," Melina Skidmore told state broadcaster ABC.

Mayor Kerry Pascoe said he had inspected the levee and it appeared solid but that in North Wagga Wagga some 180-200 homes were damaged -- ranging from water up to the roof to flooding on the grounds of the property.

Officials said while the flood would peak in Wagga Wagga later Tuesday, there were fears that the waters would create an ongoing emergency for weeks to come as the waters gushed to communities downstream.

Around New South Wales state more than 13,000 people have been asked to leave their homes due to flooding, with at least 250 properties already inundated and a number of rural communities isolated by the rising waters.

Officials were Tuesday doorknocking residents in the town of Forbes north of Wagga Wagga where the Lachlan River has created major flooding.

Flooding has also hit rural regions in Victoria and Queensland states.

Eastern Australia was hit by devastating floods in early 2011 which claimed more than 30 lives, flooded thousands of homes and left vast swathes of the country swamped, including the Queensland capital Brisbane.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gOp4DUmWrMdLFMVz...

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Update from flood-affected Wagga Wagga

CHRIS UHLMANN, PRESENTER: Flood waters now cover large parts of eastern Australia after a slow, remorseless rise that's seen thousands evacuated and caused millions of dollars worth of damage. In northern Victoria residents, in the town of Nathalia are readying for one of the biggest floods in years. In south-east Queensland the Bruce Highway and railway lines have been cut, and in NSW a state of emergency has been declared at Wagga Wagga, where about 9,000 people have been given orders to evacuate. We understand the situation's changed today in terms of what local residents are being told, and we're joined by our reporter Greg Hoy - and Greg, what is the latest there?

GREG HOY, REPORTER: Up to and including a short time ago, the people of Wagga have certainly been kept on tenterhooks, but around a couple hundred of them gathered in an evacuation centre adjacent to where I'm standing now, and they were told some pretty good news, actually. The concern had been that the flood peak was expected to be around 10.9 metres - the problem, of course, being that the levee banks protecting particularly the centre of Wagga would only withhold around 10.7 metres of water. So, there was great concern about the impact that that would have as the flood waters rolled through. Emergency services, however, told those gathered that they now expect that they might be able to review that peak; it might be a little lower than they were expecting. However there is still some confusion, given that there's been such an enormous volume of water that's made its way down the Murrumbidgee River. Some of the measuring devices that are used to help those forecasts have literally been washed away. So it will be some time before the tension eases.

CHRIS UHLMANN: So Greg, how would you describe the mood among residents?

GREG HOY: Well, I must say they're a pretty stoic lot. I mean the thing that's remarkable is that now some 8,000 to 9,000 people have been evacuated around the town, and yet, despite such incredible adversity, they still seem to keep their sense of humour, they still seem to keep a positive attitude about all of this - and perhaps that's got something to do with the fact that it's a pretty familiar routine for the people of Wagga, as we found as we moved amongst them today.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3447210.htm

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Flood evacuations ordered in Griffith

ABOUT 600 people have been ordered to evacuate from Griffith and surrounding areas, as rising floodwaters from the Murrumbidgee River threaten parts of the southern NSW city.

The order came about 12.30am (AEDT)  today, as the Bureau of Meteorology also issued a severe weather warning for the Sydney metropolitan, South Coast, Illawarra and Hunter regions for this afternoon and evening.

It forecasts heavy rain, with possible thunder, that may lead to flash flooding in those areas.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is to visit the flood-hit area of Wagga Wagga today to assess the damage there firsthand.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell declared a state of emergency yesterday, as 9000 people were evacuated from NSW's largest inland city.

Local MP Michael McCormack told ABC's Lateline yesterday he hoped Ms Gillard would not arrive empty handed when she tours the region.

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He said $500 million alone was needed to restore roads, not to mention properties, fencing, livestock and infrastructure losses.

The city was spared additional devastation last night when water levels of the Murrumbidgee River failed to reach the predicted peak of 10.90 metres.

Water levels peaked at 10.56 metres and did not breach the river levee in the central parts of the city, but residents have been advised they cannot return to their homes until at least Wednesday when the area has been declared all clear.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is now turning its focus downstream along the Lachlan River, to the towns of Forbes and Narrandera, which are expected to bear the brunt of floodwaters today and tomorrow.

Floods are expected to peak in Forbes tomorrow with water levels of 10.65 metres predicted to cut the town in three.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/flood-evacuations-or...

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Indonesia:

Disable Flash Flood North Gorontalo
Flash floods hit the village and village Milango Bubode, Tomilito District, North Gorontalo Regency, Tuesday (06/03/2012) at 21.00 pm after heavy rains flushed the two villages since noon.

An estimated 500 houses and hundreds of hectares of rice fields flooded with water levels less than 1 meter.

Until this news was published, yet the damage or casualties were reported akibar incident. (Fat / An)

http://www.berita8.com/read/2012/03/06/2/53529/Banjir-Bandang-Lumpu...

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Landa flood Cilacap

CILACAP - AFP: Floods hit four villages in the district Sidareja, Cilacap regency, Central Java, on Monday (5/3) evening. As of Tuesday (6/3) flooding yards and streets are still flooded with a height of 30 to 50 centimeters (cm).

Camat Sidareja Muuri Awaluddin said the floods caused by heavy rain which flushed the local area. "There are four villages submerged, the Village Sidareja, Tinggarjaya, Tegalsari, and Gunungreja. On Monday evening the water level reaches 75 centimeters. But today has begun to ebb, reaching 30 to 50 centimeters," he said on Monday.

Even on a Monday night, the flood had crippled the flow of traffic from Sidareja to Cipari, because of the flood inundated the province's roads. But on Monday the road was impassable for vehicles returned due to floods recede gradually.

Awaluddin asking the community to raise awareness of the possibility of subsequent flooding. Moreover, the region's major rivers namely, River Cibeureum, surface water is high.

Meanwhile, a weather station Meteorological Bureau of Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) Cilacap Teguh Wardoyo said rainfall in the western region observed high Cilacap. "In fact, the tools we put in the District Karangpucung for monitoring heavy rainfall warning several times to send the high
rainfall in the western Cilacap. From Monday until yesterday (Tuesday) reached 50.7 millimeters of rainfall. In March, the rainfall we expect 300 to 400 millimeters, "he explained. (LD/OL-01)

http://www.mediaindonesia.com/read/2012/03/06/303483/289/101/Banjir...

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Four pilgrims killed swept Sacred Goa Flash Flood

KARAWANG, (PRLM.) - Four of the eleven pilgrims sacred cave located in Kampung Kutamasigit, Desa Kutanegara, Kecamatan Ciampel Kab. Karawang, a flash flood swept died Monday (5/3) evening.

Three victims were evacuated Monday night, but a newly discovered another victim on Tuesday (6/3).

The fourth victim was killed, was the son of Abdi Halim Sholeh Grace (28), residents Walahar, district. Klari Kab. Karachi, Rohim Sholeh bin Ahmad (24), a resident of South Cikarang, Kab. Bekasi, Jake (17). child's caretaker sacred cave, and Adi (16), Duren village residents, district. Klari, Kab. Karachi.

The body of Grace, Rohim, and Jake had been buried in their home village on Tuesday. While the new Adi's body had been evacuated Youth Disaster Preparedness Team (Tagana) Falkirk, on Tuesday at 15.00 pm.

Adi's body was found in the cave with a depth of approximately six meters from the ground. "The evacuation process is very difficult. Therefore, this branching cave and cave in the middle of the hole gets smaller. Just simply go through the body manuisa alone, "said a member Tagana, Obin Istiaman, Tuesday (6/2).

According to him, the cadets who entered to find the bodies of only two people adi. They are equipped with oxygen cylinders and a new entrance into the cave after the other team members to pump water from the cave. "The bodies of victims trapped by the rocks in the cave," said Obin.

Also mentioned, the victims were deliberately went to the cave to seek blessings. Time of the incident there were 11 pilgrims to enter the cave to pray. But when the day of the evening, a sudden flash flood came the ambush area.

"Most of the flood into the cave and drowned four pilgrims. Meanwhile, seven other pilgrims managed to escape, "said Obin.

It is said, Tim Tegana Falkirk heard that information moves directly to the scene. "The location turned out to only be reached by foot or off-road vehicle use," said Obin.

Meanwhile, one of the survivors, Siswanto said, shortly before the incident, at around the cave torrential rains. When it's all the pilgrims who come from various places even take shelter in the cave, praying, and some have a bath in the pools of water contained in the cave.

"Usually we get into the cave, accompanied by a caretaker. But at the events that accompanied us only a caretaker child, "said he.

Siswanto not expecting a major catastrophe that befell occur pilgrims. Because, before such an event never happened.

It is said, he has repeatedly visited the place. "I wanted to get a job. According to the people, if you pray in the sacred cave, the desire will come true, "said Siswanto. (A-106/A-89) ****

http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/node/179594

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[KM]

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/230313.html

Some 9,000 Aussies ordered to evacuate flood-hit south

Australians build up a levee to prevent flood waters in the New South Wales town of Charleville on

Nearly 9,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes in Australia’s flood-stricken south, where the military has joined emergency services to evacuate the residents.

Days of heavy rain have caused flooding across three Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria this week.
The floods killed at least two people who tried to cross waterways in their cars, inundated hundreds of homes, and caused millions of dollars in damage in the crisis-hit regions.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the military has been deployed to several areas and was ready to help other affected towns if the crisis deepened.
Almost 8,800 people were ordered to evacuate the city of Wagga Wagga and its surrounding areas amid fears that the Murrumbidgee could reach 10.6 meters, just below the limit a levee holding back the swollen river.
The city has experienced several significant floods since the earliest European settlement in the 1840s, and officials said residents had responded well to the latest evacuation order.
Earlier, Mayor Kerry Pascoe said he had inspected the levee and it appeared solid but that in North Wagga Wagga some 180-200 homes were damaged.
Besides Wagga Wagga, officials said the waters might create an ongoing emergency over the next weeks as the waters rushed to communities downstream.
Meanwhile, more than 13,000 people have been asked to leave their homes around New South Wales state with at least 250 properties already flooded and a number of rural communities cut off by the rising waters.
Authorities have been warning residents in the town of Forbes north of Wagga Wagga, where the Lachlan River has created major flooding.
Flooding has also hit rural regions in Victoria and Queensland states.
The National Farmers' Federation said while it was too early to put a cost on the disaster, cotton crops had been damaged, as well as grain silos, while many livestock had been swept away.