LOOKING THROUGH MURKY EYES

Looking through murky eyes

At 6.45am I woke to the tremendous roar of pelting rain and the backyard resembled a swimming pool. I attempted frantically to call the emergency services, but could not get a signal on my mobile phone. As I opened the door the rain came gushing in the door.

Wading in knee deep swamp flood water to the neighbor's house to use their landline. I was terrified. There had been reported sightings of what the locals refer to as a 'mud gecko' meaning crocodile. After a few attempts I managed to get through to the operator. The voice on the other end of the phone was reassuring and calm. She said that they had received an extremely large amount of calls and that my details would be forwarded to emergency service personnel.

I raced madly across the yard in what was now waist deep water, my neighbor in hot pursuit. We hurried to the the laundry. Between the two of us, we managed to lift the slippery washing machine on to the top step. But the waters just kept rising.

I have been caught in flooding before but never of this magnitude. On 15th February 2008 the Mackay region received a massive rainfall of 500mm in a matter of 2 hours. Many houses, units, caravan parks and businesses were bombarded by rising flood water. Even The coal mines did not escape the destruction. It was later reported it had not flooded to this magnitude in over 50 years, nearly to the day.

I was moving from unit to unit, both units went under 1.5 meters of water. I lost everything . . . furniture, electrical, bedding, clothing . . . EVERYTHING ! ! While at the laundromat helping a friend with their washing we were told that charity organizations were offering assistance to flood victims at the Recovery Unit.

The Recovery Unit was a conjunction of services and aide agencies. Arriving at the center at 8.30am, the waiting crowd of more than 100 people spilled down the street. I received a raffle ticket with the numbers 33 printed in blue. This obviously meant the waiting time. It took 3 hours and 30 minutes to get to the final stage of assessment and to receive assistance.

The wait was long with miserable weather and hundreds of people waiting their turn. I started at one table before being shuffled to the next, depending on what the need was (housing, food, clothing, etc).A massive amount of paperwork had to be completed prior to any assistance being offer. The same question was repeated “What did you loose in the floods?'.

How do you write down everything that you own is laying under 1.5 meters of dirty, smelly flood water? I walked out of the Recovery Unit shaking my head, more confused and bewildered than when I first entered.

Fortunately the Evacuation Center offered a warm bed and a hearty meal. The Evacuation Center was not at all what I had expected. The Evacuation Center provided emergency shelter for 35 people including 5 children aged between 9 months and 6 years old. A large majority of the people in the evacuation center had came from a local caravan park that had been inundate by floods waters and sewage, 5 men were already homeless before the floods and the remaining could not return to their homes.

The Evacuation Center was managed by volunteers. As dim as what things appeared the offered guidance, support, advise and a shoulder to cry on. They advocated for every individual so they could return to their homes or in securing alternative accommodation. It was a long week and all the stress had taken its toll on everyone but the volunteers managed to bring a smile to everyone's face.

The volunteers ensured each and everyone of us that we would have safe and secure housing before the evacuation center closed. I was offered a 2 bedroom flat for my son and I because we could not return home. Although I am an extremely strong woman I must admit that I was struggling to rebuild my home and life after loosing everything. I went to all the charity organizations for assistance. They offered assistance with food vouchers , clothing and bedding. But this claims of assistance were never kept. I felt disappointed and alone.

Over a cup of tea and listening to the local radio station I heard of a group offering assistance to flood victims. It was the answer that I had been looking for. I called the number immediately and a lady on the other end of the line said “Yes. We certainly can help you get back on you feet:.I was skeptical but that afternoon a truck arrived with a houseful of furniture for my son and I. Our prayers had been answered.

The floods are a distant memory for my family now and we are moving foward.