Inspiration Is Everywhere ....: Jan 2011 Floods

Welcome to my summary of my area in Queensland when affected by the floods which have been inundating Australia since the end of Spring in November 2010, continuing through December's Summer and still occurring during January 2011.

       This 2010-2011 Summer, In particular for Eastern Queensland, has mostly been Continuous Rain.
       During January 2011 the flooding aspect reached my area. I have chosen to record the event in this special space, and in doing So, am also sharing this story with you.

          This Post will be a record of the event to reflect upon in the present and for future referencing. It is good, I feel, not to forget events that challenge....

Blue Dot Indicates My Area In SE Queensland Australia

This giving is about Maps. Maps showing the Story of my area of Queensland becoming flooded.

All the Maps are from The Bureau of Meteorology -

http://www.bom.gov.au

         The Story of Queensland's Flood Journey began in earnest in my area of Gympie about 2pm 6 January 2011.... the sky opened and rain gushed for about two hours... and that was the beginning....
     By 10 January 2011 Gympie flooded. Became an Island, and where I live became an Island within the Island. Not until 13 January 2011 did The Mary subside sufficiently to allow access to a depleted township. Gympie has been fortunate. The damage was minimum.
    Not easy words to write when many businesses and homes have been ruined. I have been fortunate in being high enough to only experience being isolated not flooded.

You can see here there was not much happening Wednesday 5 January 2011. The dot dash dot line indicates Monsoonal activity. Usual Summer activity for Queensland.

As you can see Thursday 6th to Friday 7th January 2011 became an entirely different Story.

This is Saturday 8 January 2011. You can see the flooding occurring in general over Queensland at the time. My area in the throes of what has been travelling and causing great loss from the North located on lower right side near coastline, (brownish arrow and red flood cluster markers).

The overall Analysis Map for Saturday 8th and into Sunday 9th January 2011.

On Sunday 9 January 2011 my area near brownish arrow becoming critical.

Sunday 9th to Monday 10th January 2011 Analysis Map shows increasing rainfall. Some areas experiencing in excess of 200millimetres (nearly 8 inches) of rain overnight.

Monday 10 January 2011 The Mary had risen to about 17.5metres (about 75feet). Usually The Mary is about 2 to 5metres (6.5 to 16.5feet). Gympie Queensland was an Island. The Mary had still to Peak.

Analysis Map for Monday 10th to Tuesday 11th January 2011. Excessive Heavy Rainfalls were being experienced by the hour not just overnight at this stage.

Tuesday 11 January 2011, met with relief... The Mary peaked at about 19.5metres (about 64feet). Not the expected 20 or more metres (about 65.5 or more feet). Not having that extra metre/foot saved a lot of businesses and homes in Gympie.

Analysis Map for Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th January 2011. South East area intense. Northern areas still not free either.

The flood conditions for Wednesday 12 January 2011 were severe in my area and spreading further South along the Coast, Inland, and heading on to New South Wales. The concentrated area South of my area is where the devastation occurred for the folk of Toowoomba.

Thursday 13 January 2011 the Sky cleared. The Mary had eased back to about 16 to 17metres (about 52.5 to 55.5 feet). Access to town from my side of Gympie partly available, though main Highway in and out of Gympie still flooded. By this stage further South were having to cope with flooding ordeal.

Thursday's 13 January 2011 Analysis Map gives impression nothing happened. But... two cyclones appear... one off North West Coast. Other off South East Coast!!!!! Heaps of Lows inbetween....

        Well that has been my map summary of events that have been exhausting, challenging, devastating, traumatic. If the Weather Folk are right, these experiences we have been enduring in Australia throughout December 2010 and January 2011 may not yet be over.
        So far cyclones that have formed have not added to the damage and recovery process. But we have been warned that from now right into April 2011 alertness to cyclones is necessary.

        If I have learnt and observed anything from these times, it is about the resilience of Australians. Their phenomenal generosity. Their willingness to get out into the foray to assist in whatever way they can. Their courage in rescue efforts whatever the species whatever the circumstances.
        For most, Australia may not be their country of origin, they may not be indigenous to Australia.... but Australia can be very pleased with the quality of people inhabiting its vast Lands.

The Introductory Image is from -
   http://www.animated-gifs.eu

All Maps Were Sourced From -

http://www.bom.gov.au

With my bestest good wishes to you,

Until soon or sooner from Magda,

PS:
(1) With having already pre-prepared this sharing, and as I now Post it... North Queensland is readying its self for Tropical Cyclone Anthony, who decided to reform and return and have a definite say. (Have not included Maps)

(2) Thankfully, after days of Western Australia following the Path of TC Bianca... seems at this time will touch Land with minimum opinion.