But in the face of the crisis, locals here, like flood hit areas across this sprawling tropical state, have banded together in cooperation, something that politicians and residents frequently say exemplifies the self-image of Australia — and in particular Queensland — as a place of rugged stoics.
I am still struggling to imagine what life is like for agricultural families in the flood hit areas: the disruption of livelihoods and the hunger (fuelling the vicious cycle of food insecurity), children who will fail to go to school because the classrooms would have been turned into shelters, health issues, the list go on and on".
Minister Hadidja Alim Youssouf, the Minister of Basic Education, immediately responded to the crisis by flying to the flood hit areas and personally visiting schools and reassuring families and children whilst also providing them with immediate basic rations.
In fact, some buyers look to flood-hit areas to pick up a bargain, reckoning that spending a few grand on decent flood protection could make the deal worthwhile.
The Environment Agency is moving more staff from north-west England to flood-hit areas further south.
After a flood hit the area in the 1950's the ailing factory never fully recovered and it closed in 1966.
On June 1 , 1889 a major flood hit the area around the plank road, and when things were all said and done, it had experienced extensive damage.
Severe flooding also hit areas of West Yorkshire overnight, with police and firefighters rescuing 20 people in the Calderdale area using boats.
Sir Philip's predecessor, Chris Smith, came under fire during last year's flooding in Somerset for taking too long to visit the flood-hit area.
Environment Agency Chairman Sir Philip Dilley cut short a family holiday in Barbados to fly back to Britain and made a secret visit to the flood-hit area of Todmorden in Yorkshire.
Environment Secretary Liz Truss, who visited the flood-hit area to view recovery work, said flood prevention spending in the area had held the floods back for long enough so people could flee their homes, but conceded the government could not prevent damage from extreme weather events.
