30 Pics Of Catastrophic Australian Floods That Are Happening Now As 2022 Competes For The Worst Year Award
Tens of thousands of people had been ordered to evacuate their homes and many more had been told to prepare to flee as eastern Australia is experiencing the worst flood in decades.
Military helicopters airlifted stranded people from rooftops in submerged neighborhoods and a tenth victim was found on Tuesday following days of torrential rain.
The devastating weather has submerged several towns and bridges in Queensland and New South Wales, and is moving to the south with heavy rains and possible flash flooding forecasted for Sydney.
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I was sick for a day and didn't go online. When I got back on, Australia was flooded. I can't keep us with all the disasters these days.
People who still deny climate change after seeing photographs like these are ignorant fools.
This couldn't be happening due to climate change, since it doesn't exist./s
If you think my comment makes light of this situation, your sadly McWrong.
Definitely not a photo of the same location. Look at all the trees in the second photo.
Great God Almighty. After those fires they have this to deal with. I can't even imagine the heartbreak.
Obviously the invasion is dominating the news but I'm shocked I hadn't heard of this at all until now.
I would so climb that- and risk drowning but hey, I got to climb a McDonald's arch!
I'm in Florida, we have a lot of flooding, but nothing like this! OMG. This is terrifying.
I call fake. It may be due to the use of a telephoto lens, but I don't see how the single tree to the left (down the sidewalk) from the McDonald's sign in the first picture is consistent with the amount of foliage behind the sign in the second picture.
Well you have just embarrassed yourself and insulted everyone here. Even worse in your pathetic attempt to be right you diminish the lives of those lost in Lismore and the thousands and thousands of people who are homeless and lost everything and it is still raining. You are a tool and thats being kind. You suck.
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"This rather significant weather system ... we will see it come into the central coast of Sydney and we are already experiencing elements of that right now," Prime Minister Scott Morrison explained during a media briefing.
Sydney is Australia's largest city and home to more than 5 million people. It could receive up to 150 mm (6 inches) of rains within a six-hour period, the Bureau of Meteorology said. (Sydney's mean rainfall for March is 138 mm.)
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet described the extreme weather as a "one-in-a-one thousand-year event" and said emergency crews carried out more than 1,000 rescues in the state after receiving 6,000 calls for help so far.
Hundreds of people are still stuck at their homes in the northern New South Wales city of Lismore, facing its worst floods in history, amid reports of some even spending the night on rooftops.
Mayor Steve Krieg said that nine people were still missing with 400 rescues yet to be carried out.
According to authorities, around 50 people were rescued after they became stuck on a bridge overnight when fast-rising waters submerged both ends.
Just north of Brisbane. Name a more ironic sign.
Australia's east coast summer has been dominated by the La Nina climate pattern (which is typically associated with greater rainfall) for a second straight year.
Brisbane, Australia's third-largest city, received around 80% of its annual rainfall over the last three days alone, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Tuesday.
You're right but it's already too late. What we do now will help 'start reversing what we've done in about a century. Until then it's going to get very much worse. Sorry. People in low areas around coasts should be moving. If you live on a floodplain for any waterway, move uphill now by at least 200 to 300 feet. Too many people hemming and hawing, dragging their feet. This isn't going away and it's not going to be magically fixed overnight.
Perrottet said 40,000 people were ordered to evacuate, while 300,000 others were placed under evacuation warnings.
"We'll be doing everything ... we can to get everybody to safety and get these communities right across our state back on their feet as quickly as possible," Perrottet told reporters in Sydney.
Government meteorologist Jonathan Howe described the amount of recent rainfall in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland as "astronomical."
I can't imagine being bedridden or super sick in a hospital and this flood happens. It would be terrifying and such a helpless feeling.
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said emergency services held grave concerns for a man in his 70s who fell from his moored yacht in the state capital Brisbane into a swollen river on Saturday and for a 76-year-old man who disappeared with his vehicle in floodwater northwest of Brisbane on Sunday.
The poor wildlife can't get a break. First three wildfires, now this. I pray both the animals and the people of Australia pull thru. God help them
Australia's hottest and driest year on record was 2019 which ended with devastating wildfires across the southeast part of the country. The fires then killed 33 people directly and another 400 people were killed by the smoke.
The fires also destroyed more than 3,000 homes and 19 million hectares (47 million acres ) of farmland and forests.
But two La Nina weather patterns have since brought above-average rainfall to the same regions.
By the time they get the mess cleared, it will be time for another "once in a lifetime" flood. Too bad we can't move some of this water to areas besieged by historic droughts.
this looks like a beautiful historic building. I hope they can save her, and don't decided it's too costly to save.
I know the coming days will be as bad as the actual flood...clearing the destruction and mud is a nightmare. Poor Lismore.
I'd be terrified for what is in that water. Especially being it's Australia.
I spent more than two weeks without power after Hurricane Charley. The aftermath is really difficult when you're high and dry... I can't imagine slogging thru mud and trying to cope. Little things like dry clothes and the ability to do laundry become a lot more important.
It looks like rescue efforts are further complicated by metal roofs. In New Orleans people put axes in their attics to help free themselves if the water got that high. I don't know that an axe would help with a metal roof.
The only good thing seems to be that the water is moving relatively slowly, not tsunami levels.
What is needed is the equivalent of a "Cajun navy", civilians who organized and rescued a lot of people. Most of the area the Cajuns patrolled was filled with commercial fisherman, so there were a lot of boats available. I think if I lived in this area, I would buy a boat and keep it on the roof.
Note: this post originally had 86 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Here in Europe everyone is so busy with the Ukraine war, I didn't even know about the floods in Australia. :0 This is terrible! I hope those people get help soon..
Sending prayers to Australia, and everyone affected by this devastating flood. God help them please
Hey Bored Panda, love the story as a lucky Lismore local (we are alive, have our house and things). Can’t you do something about the marketing spam of koxena1739? I don’t know if it is a spam bot - that’s my hope otherwise what a heartless person - maybe they should join the Russians? The Lismore community is still dealing with recovery (not always alive), cleaning, scarcity of electricity, water and food and this numnut wants to profit? Thanks.
I just contacted Bored Panda. I also added some carefully worded replies to the bots. Let's hope they listen,
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Please keep Australia in your thoughts and prayers as well. The rains are not letting up and more Sydney suburbs are needing to evacuate now.
Today, I'm visiting sites of Midwest's Flood of '93. Missouri River left watermarks at rooflines of 2-story homes. Vehicles still embedded in creeks. Creek beds carved where none existed. Cemeteries washed away. We understand. Just want the people of Australia to know you will recover. It's going to hurt. But you're strong, resilient, and Aussies. From the heart of Missouri, we send love.
This year massive floods next year devastating drought repeated regularly. It's about time someone came up with a way to save all that water.
They can't really as they need to get rid of it in stages so the flooded areas don't end up flooding more areas and the water is contaminated. So contaminated that they stop the water going to homes. The only reasonable action is the get rid of it and then treat the water supply left for tap water. Depending on what contaminants are there eg petrol/oil, lead, industrial waste they may not even be able to keep any of it.
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Aussie here, I just need to point this out cause it really bugs when people blame our government for not doing enough on climate change. I AM NOT SAYING WE ARE DOING ENOUGH, WE DEFIENTLY ARN'T and our government is useless about climate action, but people make it out like if Australia did more about CC this wouldn't happen (fires and floods). Aus produces very little air pollution, then you have the big 3 (China, India and America) producing tons of air pollution a year. It's been proven that countries that produce the least pollution are affected the most by CC. Chemical waste dumped in the ocean by China has been found in the Great Barrier Reef. But Aussies keep blaming our Gov like we're such a huge contributor to CC and pollution like the BIG 3.
Human caused climate change is real, people don't deserve to suffer like this BUT Lismore has had major floods (at least 9.7m river height) in: 1887, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1921, 1931, 1945, 1948, 1954, 156, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1974 twice, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1984, 1987 twice, 1989, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2022. With minor to moderate flooding about every year not mentioned. At some point, you're ought to say that this is not a place to live. http://australiasevereweather.com/floods/lismore_flood_pictures_reports.htm
Much of the land inundated by the Flood of '93 was claimed from the Missouri River. It is rich, fertile soil that has been farmed by colonizers for ~200 years. That river will *always try to reclaim its territory and the Corp of Engineers cannot stop it. If Lismore is also reclaimed from a river, the only solutions are move, swim, or build higher ...no, higher than that ...much higher. Currently looking out at homes that survived ~2 meters over basement level. So much water that giant snapping turtles were competing with cottonmouths to take up residence. It wasn't even the worst flood to hit in our lifetimes. Lismore can recover. It's going to hurt, though.
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Brisbane was recovering from the floods, until we got heavy rain and more flash flooding today. Families have just finished cleaning up and now they've got to do it again. I live in the middle of all this, I'm so glad our house isn't wrecked, too. We live on a hill, but we're worried roads will flood again.
A flood to be expected, Sorry, Brisbane and Lismore are both cities built on flood plains. it is ridiculous. One HOPES that this one WILL make the powers that be think and move town off the flood plains, but this history teaches us, that people NEVER learn. Americans keep on rebuilding Galveston and Noo Orleens. Not to mention after tornadoes and hurricanes. London builds huge steel gate so they can keep the City below flood levels,
These photos look much like southern Louisiana after a major hurricane.
I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope everyone can get to safety real soon.
12 months ago they were just on fire - now - rain and floods - can’t bloody win!!
I feel like this is a sign. Think about it: 2020 (in my opinion, way worse than 2021) started off with the Australian fires. Even though we are already a couple months through the year, I feel like this is warning us for something awful... I really hope this is just my anxiety acting up.
We should stop this "this year is the worst", because it won't get better and we are the one to thank for this. Your anxiety is warning you that there are consequences of human actions?
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After watching many program about Australia and the outback, a storm appears to create flooding on the roads causing endless problems. Nothing appears to be done to alleviate these problems which are known to come every year. Perhaps is Australia took some care of potential flooding and stopped relying on the heat to dry things up these disasters would be less. A quick method until people do start to lessen pollution
Oh, Lismore Australia. It's a town built in the deepest part of a flood plain. There's a reason why the land form is called that. Lucky it will drain as quickly as it fills up. Just build strong water- resistant buildings and a shelter on higher ground.
Here in Europe everyone is so busy with the Ukraine war, I didn't even know about the floods in Australia. :0 This is terrible! I hope those people get help soon..
Sending prayers to Australia, and everyone affected by this devastating flood. God help them please
Hey Bored Panda, love the story as a lucky Lismore local (we are alive, have our house and things). Can’t you do something about the marketing spam of koxena1739? I don’t know if it is a spam bot - that’s my hope otherwise what a heartless person - maybe they should join the Russians? The Lismore community is still dealing with recovery (not always alive), cleaning, scarcity of electricity, water and food and this numnut wants to profit? Thanks.
I just contacted Bored Panda. I also added some carefully worded replies to the bots. Let's hope they listen,
Load More Replies... Please keep Australia in your thoughts and prayers as well. The rains are not letting up and more Sydney suburbs are needing to evacuate now.
Today, I'm visiting sites of Midwest's Flood of '93. Missouri River left watermarks at rooflines of 2-story homes. Vehicles still embedded in creeks. Creek beds carved where none existed. Cemeteries washed away. We understand. Just want the people of Australia to know you will recover. It's going to hurt. But you're strong, resilient, and Aussies. From the heart of Missouri, we send love.
This year massive floods next year devastating drought repeated regularly. It's about time someone came up with a way to save all that water.
They can't really as they need to get rid of it in stages so the flooded areas don't end up flooding more areas and the water is contaminated. So contaminated that they stop the water going to homes. The only reasonable action is the get rid of it and then treat the water supply left for tap water. Depending on what contaminants are there eg petrol/oil, lead, industrial waste they may not even be able to keep any of it.
Load More Replies... Aussie here, I just need to point this out cause it really bugs when people blame our government for not doing enough on climate change. I AM NOT SAYING WE ARE DOING ENOUGH, WE DEFIENTLY ARN'T and our government is useless about climate action, but people make it out like if Australia did more about CC this wouldn't happen (fires and floods). Aus produces very little air pollution, then you have the big 3 (China, India and America) producing tons of air pollution a year. It's been proven that countries that produce the least pollution are affected the most by CC. Chemical waste dumped in the ocean by China has been found in the Great Barrier Reef. But Aussies keep blaming our Gov like we're such a huge contributor to CC and pollution like the BIG 3.
Human caused climate change is real, people don't deserve to suffer like this BUT Lismore has had major floods (at least 9.7m river height) in: 1887, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1921, 1931, 1945, 1948, 1954, 156, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1974 twice, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1984, 1987 twice, 1989, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2022. With minor to moderate flooding about every year not mentioned. At some point, you're ought to say that this is not a place to live. http://australiasevereweather.com/floods/lismore_flood_pictures_reports.htm
Much of the land inundated by the Flood of '93 was claimed from the Missouri River. It is rich, fertile soil that has been farmed by colonizers for ~200 years. That river will *always try to reclaim its territory and the Corp of Engineers cannot stop it. If Lismore is also reclaimed from a river, the only solutions are move, swim, or build higher ...no, higher than that ...much higher. Currently looking out at homes that survived ~2 meters over basement level. So much water that giant snapping turtles were competing with cottonmouths to take up residence. It wasn't even the worst flood to hit in our lifetimes. Lismore can recover. It's going to hurt, though.
Load More Replies... Brisbane was recovering from the floods, until we got heavy rain and more flash flooding today. Families have just finished cleaning up and now they've got to do it again. I live in the middle of all this, I'm so glad our house isn't wrecked, too. We live on a hill, but we're worried roads will flood again.
A flood to be expected, Sorry, Brisbane and Lismore are both cities built on flood plains. it is ridiculous. One HOPES that this one WILL make the powers that be think and move town off the flood plains, but this history teaches us, that people NEVER learn. Americans keep on rebuilding Galveston and Noo Orleens. Not to mention after tornadoes and hurricanes. London builds huge steel gate so they can keep the City below flood levels,
These photos look much like southern Louisiana after a major hurricane.
I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope everyone can get to safety real soon.
12 months ago they were just on fire - now - rain and floods - can’t bloody win!!
I feel like this is a sign. Think about it: 2020 (in my opinion, way worse than 2021) started off with the Australian fires. Even though we are already a couple months through the year, I feel like this is warning us for something awful... I really hope this is just my anxiety acting up.
We should stop this "this year is the worst", because it won't get better and we are the one to thank for this. Your anxiety is warning you that there are consequences of human actions?
Load More Replies... After watching many program about Australia and the outback, a storm appears to create flooding on the roads causing endless problems. Nothing appears to be done to alleviate these problems which are known to come every year. Perhaps is Australia took some care of potential flooding and stopped relying on the heat to dry things up these disasters would be less. A quick method until people do start to lessen pollution
Oh, Lismore Australia. It's a town built in the deepest part of a flood plain. There's a reason why the land form is called that. Lucky it will drain as quickly as it fills up. Just build strong water- resistant buildings and a shelter on higher ground.
