Is the australia disaster being reported overseas ????

Originally posted by Truth_Hz
reply to post by wavemaker

 

Hey wavemaker, I tried to bring attention to this yesterday in this thread:

MSM and their reporting of the pacific flood tragedies

A worthy thread, Truth_Hz, S&F for you.

SeaWind

reply to post by GalacticPhotonBands


You're right, that was jaw-dropping footage of the Toowomba flood.

SeaWind

Originally posted by Flighty
Hope you don't mind me mentioning this here but .........
I saw the American Embassador who is stationed here, on the extended flood news coverage late this afternoon.
He said that he is in constant contact with Hilary Clinton and giving her regular updates on the Qld floods.
He also said that Obama is informed on a regular basis of what's happening here as well.
So although it might not be on their news coverage, it is being monitored by American officials who have been in contact with the Queensland Government and are offering whatever assistance that is needed.
The Ambassador mentioned donating money, help with recovery and assistance with rebuilding were also offered.
Thank you America for caring.
Fox and CNN might not give a toss but you should be proud that your officials care.
It meant a lot seeing this American representative on the news today.

Thanks for the good news, Flighty! It's good to hear that Hilary & Obama are behind sending whatever assistance is needed. A catastrophe this massive needs international assistance!

SeaWind

reply to post by Havick007


Good video synopsis of what's happening in Queensland. Just mind-numbing. Queensland accounts for 25% of the national economy! I can't even grasp that fully. Dear God, what a catastrophe!

SeaWind

Originally posted by SeaWind

Originally posted by gmax111
As an American here in Gosford, Australia i can tell you the flood is a bad as katrina. 24-7 news coverage so far.. I have talked to friends back in las vegas, NV and they had no idea what was going on.

It really upsets me to know that the U.S. media is the way it is. My wife tells me that when Katrina was in force, it covered their media non stop here in Australia..

What i can seem to understand is "Why?".. Is running a story on the floods here in AUS going to hurt their numbers?

Gmax111, what's happening in Australia now is FAR WORSE than our Katrina. I was just dumbfounded by the MASSIVE size of this catastrophe. I can find news on it online, but it's barely been covered by US mainstream TV news. They seem fixated on the Gifford shooting. I suspect there are a lot of Americans who have no idea just how serious this is. Let's hope TV coverage on this picks up.

And that's not all, the Aussies are having to fight off locusts (?) & wildfires at the same time! What the heck is happening downunder?!

SeaWind

I haven't seen locusts anywhere... Bush fires are part and parcel of summer down here. They aren't normally *too* bad and can generally be put under control quite quickly (with the exception of the Vic bushfires in 09, obviously).

Thank you to everyone who has offered their well wishes and prayers, I'm sure it has worked... at least in the Clarence Valley, New South Wales where I live.

The water went from its normal 2 metres to just under 8 metres within 24 hours. Our levee wall stands at 8 metres and the water went to within 20cm of it. The city of Grafton that this levee protects sits at an average alititude of about 6 metres, so if the levee failed the city would be automatically submerged by 2 metres of water. Tragic as events have been - they could have been much worse. The water is now receding but our downriver villages are still submerged. The coastal village of Yamba is expected to be isolated for at least another 4 days. I spoke to colleagues there yesterday and they are awaiting food drops to be helicoptered in.

To those people who have remarked on the lack of fatalities compared to Brazil, I think we can put this down to our amazing emergency services personnel and the way we Aussies look out for each other in a crisis. I am afraid that the death toll will rise dramatically due to the circumstances and the high number of people missing. But I think that good thoughts directed to where they are needed does help, and so I send mine to the people of Brazil and the Phillipines who are similarly affected.

Once again I would like to thank everyone who has posted their kind thoughts for our wellbeing...it is truly humbling!

Originally posted by hypervalentiodine

Originally posted by SeaWind

And that's not all, the Aussies are having to fight off locusts (?) & wildfires at the same time! What the heck is happening downunder?!

SeaWind

I haven't seen locusts anywhere... Bush fires are part and parcel of summer down here. They aren't normally *too* bad and can generally be put under control quite quickly (with the exception of the Vic bushfires in 09, obviously).

Hypervalentiodine, someone complained about the locust infestation on another thread. He wasn't making it up, but it may be "old" news to you:

“The worst locust plague in more than two decades is threatening to strike Australia, the world’s fourth-largest wheat exporter, after rainfall boosted egg-laying by the insects in major crop growing regions.”

from a 11 June 2010 article in

www.bloomberg.com...

SeaWind

Originally posted by SeaWind

Originally posted by hypervalentiodine

Originally posted by SeaWind

And that's not all, the Aussies are having to fight off locusts (?) & wildfires at the same time! What the heck is happening downunder?!

SeaWind

I haven't seen locusts anywhere... Bush fires are part and parcel of summer down here. They aren't normally *too* bad and can generally be put under control quite quickly (with the exception of the Vic bushfires in 09, obviously).

Hypervalentiodine, someone complained about the locust infestation on another thread. He wasn't making it up, but it may be "old" news to you:

“The worst locust plague in more than two decades is threatening to strike Australia, the world’s fourth-largest wheat exporter, after rainfall boosted egg-laying by the insects in major crop growing regions.”

from a 11 June 2010 article in

www.bloomberg.com...

SeaWind

I looked it up on some government site just now. I mustn't have caught wind of it back then on account of not having internet or a TV at my house at the time. And in any case, I don't tend to watch or read news during exam block. Very interesting though!

I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and since I browse the global news everyday I can tell you that yes we have heard of what's been going, but nothing severe on whats apparently going on with the flooding. I heard several thousand people have been evacuated and that it threatens parts of the city of Brisbane but I didn't hear of any deaths about it :s

I'm in South Africa,

It is reported in just about every news bulletin on radio and TV and the online newspapers. I don't buy or subscribe to the paper copies. I suppose we get the coverage as most of our population either lives in Aus or have family and friends there.

Apparently the area of land underwater is larger than our entire country. They are talking about getting aid programs and packages together to go and assist. I think it is a private iniative and not a government one.

We are thinking of everybody that is affected by the flooding. We are having floods on this side too, but nowhere near the scale you have down there.

God bless

someone mentioned here that sharks were swimming through the street of Brisbane...it that true or just a joke?

More than likely false.

Although it is possible I guess I do not imagine a shark would be too keen on swimming up the Brisbane river against a torrent of muddy debris filled water.

Apparently they are. I just did a quick google heres the first link: www.myfoxorlando.com...

Thats the worst thing about the flooding ugh. I can only imagine the wildlife that is swimming through the city right now. Jellyfish, crocs, snakes, sharks

I stand corrected.

Although it was not in Brisbane and they are bull sharks which were probably upstream when the flooding began.

Originally posted by Secularist
Thats the worst thing about the flooding ugh. I can only imagine the wildlife that is swimming through the city right now. Jellyfish, crocs, snakes, sharks

The water is rushing down the Brisbane river and out to sea and although full of mud it is not salt water, so no issues with jellyfish in the city streets I would imagine. Also there are no crocs in the Brisbane area they are native to the northern parts of Australia and have caused issues in some of the flooded area in the north of Queensland.

another thing are snakes. just read an article about the guy who killed 4 snakes today....

reply to post by Secularist


wau! thanks for the article, helped me a lot! people here didnt believe me

Originally posted by Secularist
Thats the worst thing about the flooding ugh. I can only imagine the wildlife that is swimming through the city right now. Jellyfish, crocs, snakes, sharks

Only sharks and snakes! We don't get crocodiles this far south, and jelly fish don't live in rivers.

reply to post by heffo7

Originally posted by heffo7
…To those people who have remarked on the lack of fatalities compared to Brazil, I think we can put this down to our amazing emergency services personnel and the way we Aussies look out for each other in a crisis.

As you could attest heffo7, one of the things we Aussies pride ourselves on is “looking out for ya mates”. In times like this that extends to strangers, even enemies if you are unlucky enough to have them.
Volunteers have overloaded the system with offers of help.
Food and clothing donations are being redirected as there is an overload at the emergency accommodation centres.
These tough times can bring out the best in us.
My thoughts are with everyone effected by this enormous tragedy.

reply to post by Hammaraxx


Just to add to that, my mate is in the Hornsby (NSW) S.E.S. and reckons that over 4000 of the NSW SES volunteered to go up to QLD indefinately to help with the cleanup. Most of them had to be told no because there wasn't enough places for them to sleep up there.