Many parts of the world are being hit with large and unforeseen storms, but none can match the devastating floods in Australia. The unprecedented amounts of rain have caused major floods that are devastating the country’s economy, environment and society.
The floods in the south of Australia have been going on for a while, but it just got much worse. One city named Toowoomba has been one of the hardest hit. The floods there all started when a small valley got 6 inches of rain in 30 minutes. The water then funneled out of the valley and caused a 25 ft. tall tsunami of water to go rushing through the surrounding area. It rushed through Toowoomba and killed at least 2 people and 70 more are missing or injured. The worst is still to come, however, because the water is headed towards Australia’s third most populated city: Brisbane.
The floods are also pounding other towns in the north. An area roughly the size of Texas and New Mexico is underwater (That includes many small towns and cities). The water also is causing environmental disasters. The water has picked up pesticides and other toxic wastes and flooding them into the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s largest and most prolific reefs. The floods have also washed away farms making the cost of food go up a whopping 30% in Australia.
OVS Journalism Blog 