Rain Bomb Leaves Trail of Death and Destruction in Eastern Australia
A nightmarish weather event hit Queensland and New South Wales on February 26, devastating parts of Eastern Australia with tornado-strength winds, non-stop rainfall, and raging floodwaters.
For three days, a terrifying “rain bomb” pummelled the region with unprecedented force, which inundated major river systems, destroyed thousands of homes and properties, and claimed the lives of at least nine people, including a volunteer of the State Emergency Services.
Queensland is still reeling from the catastrophe, with residents weeping in fear and despair. Even though the Brisbane River reached only up to 3.85 meters on Monday compared to 2011’s 4.46 meters, the flooding was worse for many families in the suburban areas than even that catastrophe a decade ago. More than 50,000 homes are without power, and the floodwaters have not yet completely receded even though the colossal rain event has passed.
In fact, flood warnings remain for the Upper Brisbane River basin and Bremer River area, along with a number of creeks and dams.
Since yesterday afternoon, the Fire and Rescue Service has been called to more than 15 water rescues.
That is still 15 too many, there is no reason good enough to enter flood water.
Please heed the warnings to stay out of it.
📸 Tallebudgera and Coominya pic.twitter.com/Zz6LKVyFYz
— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) February 28, 2022
In New South Wales, Lismore did not expect that it would experience the worst flooding in its history. Being at the junction of Leycester Creek and Wilson’s River, residents were already used to their city’s flooding problems. But they weren’t expecting this.
The recent rain bomb forced thousands of families to evacuate. Hundreds who were caught unaware by the raging floodwaters sought refuge on rooftops. The torrential rains also left the city’s commercial business district underwater.
More towns, like Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby, Coraki, Southgate, and Brunswick Heads, have been ordered to evacuate as the weather system moves on to the Mid-North Coast and Northern Rivers and onward south.
In Lismore we have done floods for ever. This is not a flood – this is catastrophic. This is extreme. This is climate change. Lismore needs back up. People are on and in their roof some are screaming for their lives and water is still rising. Friends are rescuing friends. pic.twitter.com/NwikdHTX0V
— Sue Higginson (@SueHigginson_) February 27, 2022
What caused this nightmarish weather event in Eastern Australia?
According to Weather Zone, there were four factors that caused the unprecedented catastrophe: the La Niña phenomenon; a region of cool upper air that traveled across South Australia and Queensland; and, third, the presence of a series of troughs on the coast areas.
And finally, which is an abnormality to this particular weather system, is its slow movement. The rains and thunderstorms were occurring in the same regions for three days and nights, unmoving. It resulted in Eastern Australia’s experiencing a 72-hour total rainfall that was equivalent to its average annual rainfall.
Meteorologists are in consensus that climate change has played a significant role in inducing this kind of weather event.
“We know that because of climate change, we’re seeing more rainfall come in the form of intense and heavy downpours,” according to Dr. Simon Bradshaw of The Climate Council, Australia’s foremost climate change communications organization. “The last few years really have brought home the brute reality of climate change in Australia. The threats are no longer in the future – they’re unfolding right here, right now with very serious consequences.”
Written by Doris De Luna
