Just In Case....

9 pm, Tuesday

The news doesn't get any better. 75% of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone. (Remember, that's a state the size of Alaska.)

The power company will be shutting off power in select areas of the downtown/CBD tomorrow as a precaution against rising water. Most businesses in the CBD have closed down. I suspect there's at least a 50/50 chance that the apartment building we were living in just a few days ago has been evacuated (all 41 floors!). I'm glad we're not there any more.

In Ipswich (a suburb 25 miles out from the CBD) they are predicting the river to crest at 22 meters. That's 72 feet. The TV broadcaster stumbled when he gave that number; he clearly thought that had to be a mistake.

The house that was our 2nd choice (after this townhouse) is in a neighborhood currently being evacuated. It was at the bottom of a hill too. We fer shur would have been dealing with water!

I want to keep watching the news to keep up on what's happening, especially now that it's nighttime. But it's also making me anxious, which isn't going to help. Jeff and I have talked about precautions.

He's found our two (!) flashlights (both with working batteries, believe it or not!).

We've filled all the water bottles we have at home.

We're charging phones and laptops to make sure they've got a full charge in case the electric is cut off. I think we should expect to lose power for some part of tomorrow if not longer.

If we have to evacuate, he grabs the electronics. I'll do the clothing. We'll both grab non-perishable foods.

We have a high tide tomorrow afternoon and Thursday afternoon. Everyone says the critical day will be Thursday.

I'm working on remaining calm but I've never been in the middle of a natural disaster. I've been on the edges, like the tail end of hurricanes working up the coast to DC or the odd blizzard but nothing like this.