Friday, June 29, 2007

For He's A Brolly Good Fellow

Maybe He's Been Flooded With Stock

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


This city shop has the perfect window display, especially at a time when most umbrellas have been destroyed after being blown inside out. We’e gone from drought to severe flooding in less than 48 hours, with the Victorian region of Gippsland hit by the worst floods in almost forty years. The entire town of Newry has been evacuated and across the state, more than 700 volunteers are working round the clock in flood zones.

Melbourne’s water catchments, at their lowest level in recent memory, received 19 billion (yes, billion) litres in a day. But here in the city, unlike the bush, we have been spared the capricious savagery of Mother Nature. There is still no indication of when the water will peak in Gippsland, with flood levels in some areas already surpassing the levels of 1998.

A few hours ago, I watched TV footage of a house being swept down the Mitchell River near Bairnsdale. But this is Australia, and we’re a hardy mob. When television crews found the home’s owner, he was laconic. A home could be rebuilt, he said. And with a touch of the wry humour that characterises the bush, he said his house had been turned into a houseboat.

The segment ended with a reporter asking the homeowner where he thought the floating home would end up. ``Tasmania, maybe,’’ he quipped.

10 comments:

Cuckoo said...

It was sad to hear about the flood but people like that owner make it look like a small thing.

BTW, you have an excellent eye to catch that window display.

Sam said...

OMG!! dats bad.... i mean floods and all!! but the house owner's attitude is meant to be saluted.... he's right a house can be rebuilt!! :)

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

My next post concerns the severe flooding over here in the UK - three weeks now, with no sign of abating. It's meant to be the height of Summer.. Hey, ho.

Prashanth M said...

19 billion litres!! oh!
Sad to hear about the flood.

And thanks for the visit :)

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

Yes, Shrinky. Lots of floods here over here. Less so around these parts. Which is just as well as Bear parts don't like to be wet.

They were musing the other night on what to put upstairs if they had an hour's warning of a flood.

The list went-

Bears
Computer
Records
Books

Ahhh.... so good to know where one is rated.

:@}

david mcmahon said...

Hi Cuckoo,

I could not believe how phlegmatic he was. Just a shrug of the shoulders ...

Thanks, the thing that actually caught my eye was the relection of the umbrella in the window!

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Sam,

Yep, I salute his attitude. Amazing.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Carol,

Yes, I've been keeping an eye on that situation. I remember clearly what happened the last time, a couple of years ago.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Prashanth,

Yes, I actually had to double-check the figure, to make sure it was correct. I couldn't beieve it.

Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Hope to see you here again.

Cheers

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi BTBear,

Teddy bears must always be the number one priority.

ALWAYS!

Cheers

David