Message from Cordia Chu (United College, Sociology, 1969)
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| The flooded Brisbane River |
Thank you very much for your concern. While it was both frightening and stressful to confront with such a once in a life time experience of sudden flood in such unimaginable immense scale, we are lucky considerably. Our house is on higher ground than many of our neighbours. Our garden, front street and garage were flooded. If the flood had risen a couple more feet, the water and mud would be in our living room. Thus, our lost is not as great as many of our neighbours. We are faced with an unpleasant cleaning up job to do. However, many community members came to help clean up the mud and provide food and tools, making us feel humbling and grateful. The city's emergency response was in excellent form and the recovery effort and speed are amazing. We are expected to be able to get people back at work on Monday (17/1/2011) in Brisbane. The flood for Brisbane began on Monday (10/1/2011), the height of the flood was on Wednesday (12/1/2011) and Thursday (13/1/2011), and we were back home Friday (14/1/2011) and cleaning up over Saturday (15/1/2011) and Sunday (16/1/2011).
May be the year of the tiger is not such a good year. I hope we will all have a better year in the year of the hare.
Cordia
16/1/2011
Message from David Ip (United College, Sociology, 1969)
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| A phone booth in Fairfield |
Unfortunately I am less fortunate than Cordia. My house was 2/3 under and was covered in thick mud. The army came over to clean up but decided everything needed to be thrown out and nothing could be salvaged. So basically I have lost all of my belongings in Brisbane and it is rather hard for me to believe this could happen so quickly. What makes it a lot easier for me to cope is the friends I have in Brisbane, especially Barbara Law who has been doing so much to look after my house and helping me to deal with the dreadful aftermath. I am fine at the moment as I know there are others perhaps less fortunate than I am but I would be lying if I say I am not affected at all emotionally, no matter how hard I try to convince myself I will somehow get over it. I know it will take time but I plan to make a quick return trip soon to sort things out.
David
17/1/2011
Message from Lai Yuen Yee (Chung Chi College, Social Work, 1978)
Thanks for your concern. We just returned from Hong Kong yesterday. Our house is OK but my husband’s kitchen cabinet manufacturing factory at Seventeen Mile Rocks is flooded and everything is gone, including stocks, machines, office and documents. He was told that the insurance does not cover flood damages. He is busy cleaning up his factory with his workers and is at a bit loss. His neighbour already gave him the Queensland Government small business assistance form. Apart from this, we are not sure what others could help but please pray for us that the process would be smooth. Thank you
Yuen Yee
19/1/2011
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| We'll never give up! |
