The virulence of the floods in the State of Queensland, northeastern Australia, has claimed at least three lives today, bringing to 10 the number of fatalities in the floods that ravage the country since late last November and that Christmas have intensified. In addition, a person remains missing, reports the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.The army has now begun to distribute supplies in affected areas and the government has already authorized the disbursement of aid to the victims. One of those killed is a person who died in an area west of the town of Emerald, in the central region of the state when the vehicle he was riding was swept away by a waterspout.
It is believed that the person traveling with the victim has survived. In addition, the body of a fisherman of 38 years, who disappeared after being swept away by a flood when caught aboard a boat, was located Monday in Tannum Sands, about 140 miles south of Rockhampton City, which some 75,000 inhabitants is one of the most affected by the floods.
The first fatality of the floods worsened two weeks ago was a 41 year old woman on Saturday was swallowed by the current while trying to cross the Leichhardt River, near the town of Burketown, along with eight other people traveling in two cars . The police got out of the vehicles caught in the water to the rest of the passengers, including three children, but not the woman, whose body was found today to two kilometers from the scene.
Meanwhile, in the city of Rockhampton five boats of rescue crews searching for missing swimmer in the Fitzroy River. The last time he was seen alive was on Saturday afternoon. 50 tons of food this situation, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, said that military crews within 48 hours distributed over 50 tons of food and other staples in areas that are isolated or are afraid they can stay in that situation.
In addition to supplies, the Australian Government has approved the disbursement of financial assistance of $ 1,000 per person and $ 25,000 for each damaged business. "This is a natural disaster of great proportion and recovery will need to spend a considerable time," said the Chief Executive of the Australian in a statement.
So far, 200,000 people from 22 localities in the State of Queensland are affected by the floods, considered the worst happened in the last five decades. In total some 1,000 residents had to be evacuated, most of the town of Theodore, where evacuation was mandatory, because only 2% of the area remains safe water, and Rockhampton, which is expected to water covering 40% of its territory in the face Wednesday.
Several C-130 military planes have begun to transport aid for the victims of this city, whose airport is closed because the runway is flooded, with the risk of floods in the coming hours blocked the only road access This town still communicates with the outside. The level of the Fitzroy River flow has reached today, ahead of schedule, nine meters and there are fears that if it reaches 9.4, Rockhampton will have been completely isolated, with about 400 homes flooded and thousands of others affected.
The Leader of the Government of Queensland, Anna Bligh, said from that location this morning and had 150 houses flooded and almost a thousand homes had water on the threshold of their doors. "The flow of water from this river has reached a historic high and will unfortunately take a long time before they fall," warned Blingh.
Police also participates in the tasks to assist communities in the towns of St George and Surat, about 500 kilometers west of Brisbane, where preparations are made against the risk of overflow to the Balonne River. In these localities, the officers began to recommend that residents in areas with greater risk to evacuate their homes and on their way to shelters or homes of relatives located at higher elevations.
The authorities have warned that those affected return to their homes will be "devastating" because the meteorological more rain expected precipitation for the next few days in most parts of Queensland, especially in the towns of Dalby, Roma, Charleville, Emerald, St George and Goondiwindi.
On the other hand, in another of the most affected states, New South Wales, southeastern Australia, last night 36 people were trapped inside a cinema. The incident took place in the city of Bathurst to cause the collapse of the roof due to heavy storm. The trapped have been rescued and none suffered serious injuries, according to local press reports.
The Metro Cinemas building collapsed when 51 people were inside, divided into two screening rooms, indicated the local police spokesman, Craig Pusser, speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald. According to the superintendent of the ambulance unit in New South Wales, Susan Webster, three women have been taken to hospital, one of them pregnant, and many children are upset by the accident.
However, no one was injured seriously, according to the Herald Sun. "It was a very difficult situation and there was a strong and very quick joint emergency services," he said. "Obviously, it was very traumatic for many of the people affected," he added.
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