Australian Floods Reach Catastrophic Levels

The floods that have ravaged huge areas of the Australian state of Queensland show no signs of abating, with the state capital Brisbane now under serious threat. ABC Australia reports that the town of Toowoomba, 70 miles west of the capital, was inundated with rain Monday, with the deluge so fierce that houses in the nearby Lockyer Valley were washed away. At least ten people were killed and 78 are still unaccounted for, AP reports.

Brisbane, a city of 2 million, has been protected by a flood catchment since the city was hit by floods in 1974, but the dam is now at capacity. The swollen Brisbane river has now burst its banks and evacuations are taking place, the Courier-Mail reports. It's feared that a combination of further rain and storms, run-off from other flooded areas and a king tide on Friday could cause even further damage to a state already reeling from devastating flooding on the central coast of the state. Authorities believe the floods could take months to subside.
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