As floodwaters rose in Ipswich, Raymond Cole risked everything to save the life of a kangaroo. The kangaroo jumped into the floodwaters near One Mile bridge at about 6.30pm yesterday and was quickly swept downstream, unnoticed by SES volunteers (e.g. State Emergency Service Volunteers, Queensland). The man then raced across the water, about five metres away from shore despite police protests to grab the kangaroo and carry it to safety. While Mr. Cole disappeared shortly after, the kangaroo was well cared for. "It seemed a bit shocked," the photographer, Mr. De Villiers, said. "But when we left a group of people were around it and someone had a towel out to keep it warm. It seemed to perk up a bit after that."
Deadly flash flood hits Australia
Flood-weary Queensland, Australia suffered a new flooding disaster yesterday when freak rains of six inches fell in just 30 minutes near Toowoomba. The resulting flash flood killed nine people and left 59 missing. The flood waters poured into the Brisbane River, causing it to overflow, and significant flooding of low-lying areas in Brisbane, Australia's third largest city with some 2 million people, is expected on Thursday.
Above: A fox hitches a ride on a pile of debris in the flood-swollen Burnett River at Bundaberg North, Queensland, Australia.
Australia had its wettest spring (September - November) since records began 111 years ago, with some sections of coastal Queensland receiving over 4 feet (1200 mm) of rain. Rainfall in Queensland and all of eastern Australia in December was the greatest on record, and the year 2010 was the rainiest year on record for Queensland. The ocean waters surrounding Australia were the warmest on record during 2010, and these exceptionally warm waters allowed much higher amounts of water vapor to evaporate into the atmosphere, helping fuel the heavy rains.
Above: Residents evacuate by canoe from Depot Hill, Rockhampton, Queensland.
The record warm ocean temperatures were due to a combination of global warming and the moderate to strong La Niña event that has been in place since July. Queensland typically has its rainiest years when La Niña events occur, due to the much warmer than average ocean temperatures that occur along the coast. Beginning in December, the Queensland floods have killed at least 19, and done $5 billion in damage. Queensland has an area the size of Germany and France combined.
Below: Cattle stranded in floodwater near Darby, Australia, January 11, 2011.
Below: Toowoomba, Australia's Garden City, Floods, January 10, 2011.
Below: Traffic backs up as flooding cuts the Warrego Highway at Gorrie Creek, near Toowoomba, Australia.
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