7 of 10 SINKING and TILTING; NSW floodwaters remain in the north! / Around 12,500 people are isolated due to floodwater! In central Queensland floodwaters are rising rapidly!

[Stanislav]

Fiji aerial flood

Australia TILTING and BACKWASHING:

NSW:

/ Thousands cut off by floodwater. Around 12,500 people are isolated due to floodwater on the North and Mid North Coast of New South Wales, with the majority from the lower Clarence Valley. /

/ The New South Wales State Emergency Service has made five flood rescues this evening as floodwaters remain in the north and storms hit the far west. /

/ Residents still stranded by floodwater Video /

QLD:

/ Authorities have issued an emergency alert at Roma in central Queensland where floodwaters are rising rapidly. Floodwaters have already isolated some residents in the Gold Coast hinterland, with some roads more than 1.5 metres under water. /

/ WHILE northern NSW had a reprieve from flooding overnight, southeast Queensland suffered another deluge. At nearby Macksville, SES workers were advising locals to evacuate due to a King Tide in the Nambucca River. /

Fiji:

/ It's the worst, says chief.

THE flood that ravaged Tavua was the worst and biggest ever in the history of that district, says Tui Tavua Ratu Jale Waisale Kuwe Ratu!!!!!!

He said some places that were not affected by flooding during previous cyclones were submerged in the past few days. Ratu Jale said Vanuakula and Nabuna villages were still under water and the villagers were sheltering at an evacuation centre set up at Tavua District School. /

Indonesia SINKING:

/ 21,000 Hectares of Rice Fields in the Land of the Sea is often submerged. Regent Land Sea, South Kalimantan, Adriansyah, said 21,000 hectares of rice fields in the region are often submerged sea water. /

Australia:

Cars rescued from NSW floodwaters

The New South Wales State Emergency Service has made five flood rescues this evening as floodwaters remain in the north and storms hit the far west.

Nearly 50 millimetres of rain - most of it falling on Friday evening - has been recorded at the Broken Hill Airport, as a severe thunderstorm swept through the town.

The SES says a woman had to be helped from her car in Bourke Street after a torrent of fast-flowing water rose to the vehicles tyres.

The occupant of a second vehicle, trapped in a flooded causeway, is also safe.

In the state's north, the SES and volunteer rescue squad members have rescued three cars from floodwaters.

The SES says one car became trapped on a road that had been closed for more than 24 hours.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-27/flood-rescues-in-nsw/3797860

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Roma on alert as floodwaters rise


Authorities have issued an emergency alert at Roma in central Queensland where floodwaters are rising rapidly.

Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Tony Auden says a monsoonal low has moved into Queensland from the Northern Territory, bringing heavy rain and storms.

"Over the next couple of days we do expect that low to move south through the state giving, us fairly heavy rain into Saturday [through] parts of central and western Queensland, down to the southern border," he said.

Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) executive director Brian Cox says there could be significant flooding but says the SES are "well-prepared".

The Maranoa Regional Council has issued an alert at Roma, where Bungil Creek is expected to rise to 6.7 metres by midday on Saturday, causing local flooding.

Floodwaters have already isolated some residents in the Gold Coast hinterland, with some roads more than 1.5 metres under water.

Roads remain cut in the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions.

Evacuation centres remain on standby at Woodford and Bribie Island, but Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland says everyone is breathing a sigh of relief.

"[In] many of the areas, the floodwaters are slowly receding, like Burpengary and Bribie, because the threat from the high tide has passed and the rain has eased," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-27/roma-on-alert-as-floodwaters-...

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Further deluges for Qld while NSW north coast allowed flood reprieve


WHILE northern NSW had a reprieve from flooding overnight, southeast Queensland suffered another deluge.

 almost 100 calls for help since midnight and the closure of at least three schools.

Queensland's Department of Community Safety says three people have been rescued from two cars on a flooded road on the Gold Coast, at least three schools have been closed and there were almost 100 calls for help since midnight.

The department says the cars were trapped on Somerset Road, Mudgeeraba, just after 7am on Friday.

''There were two people in one car and one in another and emergency services were able to walk them out,'' the DCS spokeswoman told AAP.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education says that so far three schools have closed because of rising floodwaters - Pomona State School on the Sunshine Coast and Springbrook State School and Darlington State School on the Gold Coast.

The Ingleside, Cedar Creek and Robina state schools could also close if local creek levels continue to rise.
Although the rain has eased, more than 165mm has been recorded on the Sunshine Coast and 146mm at Bribie Island since 9am on Thursday.

In NSW, against all predictions, the Macleay River on the mid-north coast did not flood on Thursday night, State Emergency Services spokeswoman Becky Gollings said on Friday.

"We had a relatively quiet night, which was good," Ms Gollings said.

Rain eased on Thursday evening, after the SES received 111 calls for assistance from Coffs Harbour residents who needed to sandbag their homes.

The Pacific Highway has re-opened after localised flooding caused its closure in both directions due to flooding at Corindi, between Coffs Harbour and Grafton.

It remains closed 1.5km north of the Gwydir Highway at Grafton, with delays expected elsewhere.

The SES has received more than 800 calls for help since Monday and made 40 flood rescues, including five on Thursday.

There were two flood rescues overnight of people stuck in their cars at Grafton, the SES said.

Flooding has cut in half the small town of Bellingen in northern NSW for the second time in three days, with the town's bridge completely submerged.

Upstream from Bellingen, at Darkwood, hundreds of people remain isolated and the SES has been making supply runs.

"More rain is expected on Friday so at the moment it's just a case of watching and waiting," Ms Gollings said.

There were fears the deluge could prompt a repeat of the 2009 floods, when the town centre was inundated and damages ran into the millions. The State Emergency Service has received more than 500 calls for help and performed more than 20 flood rescues since Monday, mostly of people stranded while attempting to drive through floodwaters.

Two army Black Hawk helicopters with winches, long-range fuel tanks and night-vision equipment were enlisted to help emergency services and scores of SES volunteers with the relief effort.

Flood warnings last night remained in place for nine rivers in northern NSW, and for Coffs Harbour. The Bureau of Meteorology also issued a severe weather warning for the NSW mid-north coast region, and was warning of more wet weather to come over the weekend and into next week. "There's predictions another system will form tomorrow and they're forecasting pretty serious rain through the weekend," an SES spokesman said.

Residents of Gladstone and Smithtown, about 100km south of Coffs Harbour, had been warned to prepare for evacuation, with the Macleay River threatening to burst its banks.

An SES spokeswoman also predicted that the Macleay river could come within centimetres of over-topping levees at Kempsey.

Dick and Helen Batterson were yesterday busy sandbagging their Smithtown home, which sits next to the swollen Macleay.

"I've got about 20 of these, so let's hope they do the job," said Mr Batterson.

At nearby Macksville, SES workers were advising locals to evacuate due to a King Tide in the Nambucca River.

An SES spokeswoman said about 1000 people in total were isolated in communities and rural areas in the state's northeast.

Thousands ordered to evacuate from low-lying areas around the Tweed River in the state's far north earlier this week were allowed back to their homes yesterday. Many spent the day cleaning debris from the gardens and streets around their homes.

Run-off is pouring into the already swollen local creeks and rivers, threatening another 3200 people with evacuation.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Brett Harrison told AAP the worst was almost over for southeast Queensland and the heavy rain should start to ease by Saturday.

''From tomorrow onwards it will still continue with patchy rain areas and plenty of showers but we are not expecting any of those falls to be heavy around southeast Queensland,'' Mr Harrison told AAP.

''We are still looking at showers through until next week.''

''You'd expect pretty heavy falls to continue during the day but weakening from tomorrow.''

He said there were severe weather warnings in north west Queensland where winds of about 100km an hour are expected as well as heavy showers.

Already Burketown and surrounding towns in the gulf region have received more than 100mm in the past 24 hours.

''There's a good chance some areas will pick up more than 100mm,'' he said.

''The monsoonal trough is expected to move through northern and central Queensland over the weekend.''

''It will cause very heavy rainfalls and damaging winds to the interior during tomorrow.''

Wivenhoe Dam operator Seqwater says it will continue small releases until levels reach 75 per cent, the new ''full'' level that was determined after last year's floods.

The water authority stopped releases from Brisbane's North Pine Dam and Leslie Harrison Dam on Thursday afternoon.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/flood-reprieve-for-nsw-...

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Thousands cut off by floodwater

Around 12,500 people are isolated due to floodwater on the North and Mid North Coast of New South Wales, with the majority from the lower Clarence Valley.

Since Tuesday, the State Emergency Service (SES) has received almost 1,000 calls for assistance across the Mid North and North Coast regions. In addition to this, 45 flood rescues have also been made.

While weather conditions eased today, resulting in falling levels across many of the Mid North and Northern rivers, various areas remain isolated.

The focus has turned to the Clarence Valley, in particular the lower area, where potentially around 12,000 people are isolated. However, some of these people will still have access, depending on the tide.

During Friday afternoon, the SES advised that the communities of Yamba and Palmers Island would face periodic isolation, particularly on the high tide, as well as Iluka. A number of smaller communities are also affected.

Isolation is also occurring in the upper reach of the Bellinger, Macleay, Kalang, Nambucca, Nymboida, Orara and Pillar Valley's.

The SES delivered emergency supplied to residents in the Kalang Valley during the day, after getting calls for help in remote parts.

Flood warnings remain current for the Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Clarence, Orara, Bellinger, Macleay, Hastings and Nambucca Rivers.

Severe weather warnings have been cancelled for both the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers forecast districts.

While the weather looks to ease over the weekend, the emergency services are preparing ahead of a new system that could bring further rain, as of Monday.

"We have been advised from the Bureau that conditions are likely to improve over the next 24 - 48 hours but there is the possibility of further rain next week. As a consequence, we're doing some preparation for that possibility and making sure that we have plenty of volunteers and resources available should rain and, potentially, flooding develop," SES spokesperson Phil Campbell said.

There are many road closures across the region. For the latest information check the RTA's live traffic updates or call 132 701.

The State Emergency Service says people shouldn't drive, ride or walk through flood water and they should steer clear of creeks and storm drains.

Prepare for a flood by visiting the State Emergency Service website or you can plan for emergency using the checklists on ABC Emergency.

Stay tuned to ABC Local Radio for the latest warnings and information. Find the best frequency for your area.

If you need assistance during flooding or storms, call your local SES on 132 500. If you are in a life threatening situation, call triple zero.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/01/27/3417501.htm

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Fiji:

It's the worst, says chief

THE flood that ravaged Tavua was the worst and biggest ever in the history of that district, says Tui Tavua Ratu Jale Waisale Kuwe Ratu.

He said some places that were not affected by flooding during previous cyclones were submerged in the past few days.

Ratu Jale said Vanuakula and Nabuna villages were still under water and the villagers were sheltering at an evacuation centre set up at Tavua District School.

"The people of Tavua have been hit hard with the flooding ù it's the biggest to have ever hit the district," he said.

"At Korovou village most of the houses including the church were flooded. This flood is the most devastating and the biggest in Tavua."

Ratu Jale said parts of Tavua Village were six feet under water.

He also noted that one of the major causes of the flood was the shallowness of rivers in the area.

"I believe it's high time we carry out dredging of all the rivers here in Tavua.

"We would appreciate if someone can assist the villagers with the dredging of these rivers."

Ratu Jale said most schoolchildren were affected, losing stationery and uniforms.

"The water level rose so quick that it was too late for some of the families to take their belongings when they were told to evacuate.

"The drainage system in town is not that good and is also one of the contributing factors to flooding in the village."

Ratu Jale thanked government's quick response in helping villagers to evacuation centres.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=191809

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Indonesia:

21,000 Hectares of Rice Fields in the Land of the Sea is often submerged


BANJARMASIN, KOMPAS.com - Regent Land Sea, South Kalimantan, Adriansyah, said 21,000 hectares of rice fields in the region are often submerged sea water.

The reason, the incoming seawater is difficult due to the condition of the river out back full of sediment after dredging is not done a long time.

"We attach a lot of sea water in, but at low tide the water is returned to the sea only a few," said Adriansyah, the interactive dialogue in the framework of coordination meetings to support research and development programs and MP3EI SIDA Corridor III, in Banjarmasin, Thursday (26 / 1 / 2012) night.

The dialogue was attended by Minister of Research and Technology Gusti Muhammad Hatta. According Adriansyah, flooded rice fields located in three districts namely Kurau, Batibati, and Tambangulang. Rice production due to this condition to be less than the maximum.

http://regional.kompas.com/read/2012/01/26/23340633/21.000.Hektar.S...

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[Lynne Warbrooke]

This is great Carrie. I would love to see more "local" reports of stuff happening posted by members on this site. Give an actual account to compare with what is being reported in various parts of the world by the news medias to let everyone know what is actually happening vs what the masses are being told is happening. This added to the hard data being collected I think would be invaluable. Hope your chooks get dry soon.. they are never happy when its wet !!

[Stanislav]

astrogal50@ I think in other countries the same! In Russia on TV too hide this flood!

But because the Internet can see the local news flood will not be completely hide!

[astrogal50]

Wow.  Thanks, as always.

The flooding in Australia is getting very little media attention in the U.S.  The cover-up appears to be well into the "say nothing" phase of preventing the comman man from learning or discerning the Truth.