The floods in and around Brisbane, Australia are projected to be the worst in decades; likely exceeding the levels of the 1974 floods that cost $200 Million in property damage at the time. There is already a multi-billion-dollar cost projected for the floods that have devastated the Northeast part of the country.
The region is generally used to drought conditions, having in the last years had to make use of stringent water-rationing programs. However, in light of the torrential rains in the past few weeks, those living in the madness just hope that the rains cease and the river levels lower.
Such large-scale disasters are steadily increasing in damage costs while humanity's ability to control the powerful forces of nature remains limited. Hopefully within the coming years technological advances will be able to help curtail much of the damage such disasters cause. What do you think? Will we see the advent of nature-controlling technology in the next decade or so? If not then, when?
2 comments:
How unfortunate. Every summer, San Mateo County worries about droughts too, because we also get very little rain. We're lucky we haven't had to adhere to strict rules like the residents of Brisbane have, and the climates are very different anyway, but reading the bit about the people in line wearing flip-flops made me think of us right here in California. Hopefully unusual natural disasters that we're unprepared for won't strike us soon.
I feel really bad for Australia...and I hope they are doing well...yes, I second that Sarah...hopefully it won't happen to us too...luckily we are kind of protected on the peninsula...but you never know...
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