Wagga Floods 2012

So March is here and so is the rain. We have a few days of heavy torrential rain and sure enough the river rises at a rapid speed. The sun comes out but now the river is rising fast. 3 days after the rain has stopped and at 2100 hours we get the evacuation order, yep that's right we have to evacuate along with 8,000 others from central Wagga city. The next day all the roads are barricaded but at 0630 I snuck through to go and check out our house to make sure looters aren't in our neighbourhood (Roslyn court, 14 units in our block). All looks well so off to the hospital I go for work. I am the Acting unit manager of the High Dependency Unit (HDU) at this time so I have to ring my staff to find out who could take people into their homes as a contingency plan for evacuated staff. Emergency disaster planning is underway throughout the Riverina area including the hospital that is on the edges of the evacuation area. This is what the river normally looks like.

Left: before the floods and as usually seen. Right: 2012 Wagga floods, the Hampden Bridge. The bank goes to 11 metres and they say it will top that however it reaches 10.56 meters, 44 cm from the top, a close one for allot of people. North Wagga is flooded, but as we are not allowed near the area I cannot get photos. This flood is 18 cm lower than the 1974 floods but the people of Wagga are much better prepared. We evacuated at 2100 hours with the kids to a friends place out of the zone and to a safe height.  We take the necessities plus paperwork and electronics. Everything else is left behind. Its a strange feeling leaving your property behind thinking you may have to mop and clean up or throw out allot of things if your house gets flooded. I think to myself that at least the family is safe and we have friends that can help. The high schools are open for those who have nowhere to go, luckily that's not us. Some people said "how exciting to be evacuated" but it is scary, frustrating and takes its toll mentally and physically and we didn't even get flooded. I can only feel a slight sense of empathy with much sympathy for those who did get their houses under water. After 36 hours we are allowed back to our houses and we can't wait to try to get back to "normal". Some people weeks later are still trying either to get back to their houses or cleaning up what remains of them.

Above top: The Highland Pipe Bands club house is under water, Middle left: pipes are trying to empty the lagoon so it doesn't flood the library, Middles right: Road closed due to flooding and pipes, on the side of the picture are the cabins from the caravan park that were fork lifted out before the river began to rise. Bottom: the lagoon is flooding with the library in the background and sand bags trying in vein to stop the water coming in whilst a huge diesel generator tries to pump out water from the usually low lagoon. These are all taken a day prior (36 hours) to the evacuation. And below: One part of a road is blocked off due to flooding much to ruby's delight.

 

The rain has stopped but ruby is on the ready, just in case walking along the 11 meter bank. Looking along the river before we evacuated, Imagine if you can allot of banks with a walkway on the right hand side of the river all now underwater.

After the people are allowed back into the city of Wagga Wagga we venture by the river.

Below is Leilani, Ruby and Poppy with the main bridge to North Wagga still closed as that area remains flooded.

Usually this sign is about 6 meters  above the water level, ironically saying WARNING submerged objects.

A week later the river is still going down, however villages and towns miles away are now suffering similar evacuations and issues as the river floods down there. To the right above a thank you to the SES- State Emergency Services & others are thanked for their hard work.