In Australia, flash floods have left 30 people dead , more than 43 missing, more than £3.1 billion ($4.9 billion U.S.) in damage, and an estimated 14,000 homeless. This is not to mention the literally thousands of miles of road literally washed away, the downed power and telephone lines, the interrupted or entirely absent commuter rail lines, and the approximately 26,000 buildings in Brisbane alone either completely or partially flooded.
It is, according to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, a "reconstruction task of post-war proportions" as people all across the country face the daunting prospect of rebuilding a devastated transportation infrastructure (bridges and roads), a housing market, an industrial venue, and an economy already decimated by persistent global recession.
The flooding, which began in December of 2010 and ended up involving three-quarters of the area of Queensland – a territory bigger than Texas and California combined.
1 comment:
I often hear that any hopes of combating climate change involves "a WWII-like effort" so perhaps while they're in the post-war-proportion rebuilding, they can do it in a sustainable way. If thousands of structures must be replaced, let's hope they can at least be well-sealed, well-insulated, and well-situated for solar, etc...
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