Queensland Storms

[Alan W]

To Binky, GEO and anyone else in SE Queensland - hope you haven't suffered badly from the big storm yesterday.

The area's been declared a disaster zone after thousands of homes were flooded or smashed by hailstones. No doubt our forumites on the spot can fill in some details when things calm down there.

[Binkie]

Thanks for the concern, Alan. We were lucky - masses of thunder and lightning as well as torrential rain, but no damage in our area, thank heavens. A great many other Queenslanders weren't so lucky.

[smaug]

glad to hear you are ok Binkie
Those poor folk that had their homes destroyed - the devastation in some areas was terrible

[technomc]

I've not seen or heard anything about that...i will have to check it out now...But am relieved to hear you are ok..

Now California is another matter- loads about that on the news..terrible too...hope any forumates there are ok too!!

[Alonzo Quixote]

Plus there was a severe underwater earthquake close to eastern Indonesia.

There were tsunami warnings which were then cancelled.



 

[birdy]

Is it only me who thinks that there is usually a series of natural disasters - storms, wildfires, earthquakes, etc. - when one major one occurs?  It just seems that when one big natural event makes headlines, another one or two follow soon after.

So far, I think everyone escaped the California wildfire, though I'm not sure if they've been able to finish checking the trailer park that was totally destroyed.

So I hope that there wasn't too large a toll in human (or animal) life in the other major events either.

[Alonzo Quixote]

birdy, I have noticed the same thing.

I don't know if anyone has ever tabulated or charted these natural disasters.  Probably someone versed in statistics could draw some conclusion regarding the frequency of these disasters.

Surely when the disasters occur close together, they are more noticeable.

We live on a planet whose crust is quite thin compared to the remainder of what is contained within.  This crust is not a static item as the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions attest.

The storms and wildfires are a direct consequence of weather systems.  I believe it has been suggested that the weather systems will be affected more dramatically by global warming.

[greenone]

I missed the whole event - was in Sydney waiting for a flight back.  Fortunately it was all over by the time my plane got close to the city - I would have freaked if we'd hit the bad weather coming in.  My place is only a few kilometres away from the corridor of destruction, but luckily all I ended up with was a very wet yard and 2 muddy dogs.

[biggerbirdbrain]

Thank goodness for everyone's safety -- it's the first I heard about the Queensland storms.

[Toni]

Wow, those pics are amazing.  I'm so glad everyone is ok.  We had terrible storms here in Cape Town last week too, with roads washed away, houses destroyed and at least one life lost.  Most unusual for us at this time of year.  I think you are right about the weather and global warming Alonzo.  Scary!