Massive defence deployment for Qld

The biggest defence deployment for a natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy has been
sent into Queensland, where the epicentre of the state's floods disaster resembles a
war zone.
As the death toll from the latest floods rose to 16, authorities warned the bodies
of some victims may never be found.
The crisis, which has affected three-quarters of the state including the capital
Brisbane over the past three weeks, is far from over, although the border town of
Goondiwindi looks to have avoided becoming the latest casualty.
Premier Anna Bligh said Queensland was determined to begin the process of cleaning
up, recovery and rebuilding.
"I hope and pray that mother nature is leaving us alone to get on with the job of
cleaning up and recovering from this event," she said.
Across Queensland 86 communities have been affected by flooding, with some towns
deluged three times by floodwaters.
Some towns and even Brisbane suburbs remain totally cut off and it may be early next
week before the CBD returns to normal.
At Grantham, the epicentre of this week's Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba floods, a
massive search effort for the missing covers 200km of waterways.
Ms Bligh and Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited the town on Friday.
"What I saw can only compare to a war zone or perhaps a cyclonic hurricane," Ms
Bligh said.
"The way that the town has been literally picked up and turned around and deposited
in fields and roads is going to be very difficult for people to come home from the
evacuation centres and see."
Across Queensland more than 4400 people remain in 50 evacuation centres, with 7500
more registered as being displaced from their homes.
In total, 17,500 homes and 3000 businesses have been flooded.
Ms Gillard said the number of defence force personnel involved in the flood
operation will be doubled to 1200.
"This will be the biggest deployment for a natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy," Ms
Gillard said on Friday.
The death toll rose to 16 with the discovery of a woman's body near Grantham on Friday.
Fifty-three people remain unaccounted for, including 12 for whom police hold grave
fears.
Many of the missing are in the Lockyer Valley area west of Brisbane, overwhelmed by
a flash flood on Monday that has devastated many of the region's small towns.
Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said the force of the water had carried
victims a long way.
"One of the people who are confirmed deceased was found 80 kilometres downstream
from where they were reported missing," he said.
"I think this just demonstrates and highlights the complexity of these search and
rescue operations and also the time that's going to be consumed searching all of the
creeks and streams associated with this river system."
After searching homes on Thursday, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said crews were
starting to sort through the huge piles of debris that had been left scattered
throughout the valley.
He said it was possible some bodies may never be found.
"This search can't possibly be completed until some time next week," he said.
"And we could not exclude the possibility that someone may never be found."
Some communities, such as Theodore in central Queensland, have been evacuated entirely.
The town of Condamine has been evacuated twice in a fortnight and is waiting for
floodwaters to peak over the weekend.
Fears have abated for the Queensland/NSW border town of Goondiwindi where the
Macintyre River was holding steady late on Friday.
Flood levels in the Brisbane and Bremer rivers were falling on Friday, while
Bundaberg was enduring its second flood in 10 days.
A team of 80 specialist fire and rescue officers and 36 recruits has been deployed
into Ipswich and Brisbane to help the clean-up and assessment effort.
In Brisbane, the water has affected more than 26,000 homes, with 11,900 homes
completely submerged and another 14,700 partially flooded.
Thousands will have to call in specialists before turning on any gas or electrical
appliances, with Ms Bligh estimating the process could take a while.
"These are houses that have been inundated right up to their rooftops, it could be
weeks," she said.
"Some of these houses will have to be demolished, so they won't be getting supply
back on until there's a new house there."
Some Brisbane suburbs, including Moggill and Bellbowrie, are still isolated, and
Defence is getting supplies through to residents.
Dirranbandi in the state's southwest remains completely isolated, as it has been for
more than a week.
The town could be isolated well into February and the government is working to
ensure it has the supplies it needs, Ms Bligh said.
Ms Bligh warned it is still only the beginning of the wet season and more massive
downpours are likely with the weather bureau advising that five cyclones could be on
their way over the next few months.
Ten people - nine in Brisbane and another in Ipswich - have been charged with looting.