Many asked about the floods in Brisbane, and other places near me in Queensland. We're safe where we are, but the flooding is only about an hour away from us, so it's scary. We've been watching it on TV all day. It's all very sad. I wanted to do something, so we put together this video:
Australian Floods 2011 - Queensland is Crying...
Thanks again for all your support!
Jordan Jansen
It may break our hearts but it cannot break our wills...
A montage of photos from the flooding here in Queensland, Australia. I'm about an hour from some of these photos in Brisbane and 2 hours from the others where the flood waters are currently still rising.
People are rushing around everywhere trying to evacuate themselves, their families and their pets. Today on FaceBook there were dozens of requests from people asking for help to save their horses and other animals and move them to higher ground. People were offering accommodations on twitter, everyone has pulled together during this devastating time. Many did not make it out in time.
If you want to help please consider donating to the following fund, all details in the following link..
http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html
Account Name: Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal
BSB: 064 013
Account number: 1000 6800
SWIFT code for international donations: CTBAAU2S
Australian Floods 2011 - Queensland is Crying
Luni, un alt Jordan, Jordan Rice si-a pierdut viata, salvindu-si fratele:
Link to Jordan Rice, the brave teen who told rescuers to save his brother first..
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2011/01/12/jordan-rice-death-flood-sacrifice-brother-save/
Teen gives life to save brother
Lacey Burley | 12th January 2011
JORDAN Rice, has been remembered as a hero after he let his younger brother be rescued first, seconds before he and his mother were swept to their deaths.TOOWOOMBA boy Jordan Rice, 13, has been remembered as a hero after he let his younger brother be rescued first, seconds before he and his mother Donna were swept to their deaths in the CBD.
The death toll from the devastating floods which swept through Toowoomba and the region on Monday afternoon has risen to 10, with grave fears held for another 18.
Murphys Creek couple Steve and Sandra Matthews were killed when they were washed from their home.
Donna Rice's partner of 28 years, John Tyson, yesterday told The Chronicle how his beloved partner and their son perished.
Ms Rice, and sons Jordan, 13, and Blake, 10, were driving at the intersection of James and Kitchener streets about 2pm on Monday when they drove through water which at the time was only up to their car wheels.
However, their car engine stopped and Ms Rice called triple zero for help. She was unable to call anyone else as she had no phone credit.
The triple zero operator told the family to stay put and they were forced to climb on to the roof of their car after the floodwater rose rapidly.
Mr Tyson said no help came and bystanders watching the family did not offer help.
“All these people were just standing around until an old scrawny guy grabbed a bit of rope, wrapped it around himself and jumped in,” Mr Tyson said.
“Jordan can't swim and is terrified of water.
“But when the man went to rescue him, he said ‘save my brother first'.”
Mr Tyson said the man rescued Blake and tried to tie the rope around Jordan and Ms Rice but it broke.
They were swept downstream. The pair was able to briefly cling on to a tree, but was overcome by the force of raging floodwaters.
Mr Tyson wept as he told of his son's bravery when he knew how terrifying their last moments were.
“I can only imagine what was going on inside to give up his life to save his brother, even though he was petrified of water,” he said.
“He is our little hero.”
Mr Tyson and Ms Rice, 43, have four sons together — Chris, 22, Kyle, 16, Jordan, 13, and Blake, 10.
He wished to thank the good Samaritan who came to his family's help and rescued their son Blake.
The family had just picked up Jordan's high school uniforms that morning as he was due to start Year 8.
“They were the unsung heroes of my life. She was my soulmate.”
Ms Rice is the daughter of Marge and Arthur Rice.
Her sister Tracey Decaux said she loved chatting with her sister over a cigarette and cup of coffee.
Their children were great friends.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/natural-disasters/news/article.cfm?c_id=68&objectid=10699190http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8195370/save-my-brother-first-said-teen-victim
A 13-year-old boy was swept to his death in the Toowoomba flash flood moments after he told rescuers to save his younger brother before him.
'Inland tsunami' wipes out towns
Jordan Rice, 13, and his mother were killed when an 8m wall of water swept through the town on Monday afternoon. At least eight other people were killed as the torrent tore through the centre of Toowoomba and surged down through the Lockyer Valley.
Another 90 people are still unaccounted for and, of those, grave fears are held for 18.
Jordan's father, John Tyson, said Jordan's mother Donna Rice and her two sons became trapped in rapidly rising floodwaters in Toowoomba's CBD when their car engine failed at an intersection, The Chronicle reports.
The water, described as an "inland tsunami", rose so quickly that Ms Rice, Jordan and 10-year-old Blake were forced to scramble onto the car's roof.
"All these people were just standing around until an old scrawny guy grabbed a bit of rope, wrapped it around himself and jumped in," Mr Tyson said.
"Jordan can't swim and is terrified of water," said Mr Tyson.
"But when the man went to rescue him, he said 'save my brother first.'"
The man managed to bring Blake through the surging water but moments later Jordan and his mother were swept off the car.
They were seen clinging to a tree but the water current was too strong and they were washed away.
Mr Tyson said the bravery displayed by Jordan, who was soon to start year eight, was heroic.
"I can only imagine what was going on inside to give up his life to save his brother, even though he was petrified of water," he said.
"He is our little hero."
Together for 28 years, Mr Tyson and Ms Rice have four sons together: Chris, 22, Kyle, 16, Jordan, 13, and Blake, 10.
Mr Tyson described her as "my soulmate".
In Murphy's Creek near Toowoomba a teenage girl heard her mother scream when she was swept away after floodwater washed through their house.
Sarah Norman told the Daily Telegraph how her brother and their 15-year-old sister Victoria sheltered in the roof of their family home after he managed to punch a hole in the laundry ceiling.
"He went back to get mum and dad, but they had just gone. Victoria heard mum scream," Ms Norman said.
Steve Matthews, 56, and his wife Sandy, 46, were found dead downstream on Monday afternoon.
The couple had been trying to reach their children when a fridge floated across the doorway and trapped Mrs Matthews in the kitchen.
Mr Matthews was trying to save his wife when a wall in the house collapsed and both were swept away.
A four-year-old boy also drowned when he fell out of a boat that had been moving him to safety in nearby Marburg, west of Brisbane.
Back in Toowoomba, Bruce Riley told Sydney Morning Herald reporters how he rescued a pregnant woman trapped in a submerged car.
Mr Riley said he tied a sling and ropes around his waist so that he could wade through the thigh-deep water towards the heavily pregnant woman and a man also stuck in the car.
Queensland is bracing for more weather with authorities predicting water levels will peak on Thursday.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/teenager-swept-away-after-saving-his-brother-from-toowoomba-floods/story-e6freoof-1225986169850
Teenager swept away after saving his brother from Toowoomba floods
* Amelia Harris
* From: Herald Sun
* January 12, 2011 10:29AM
A TEENAGER killed in the Toowoomba flood has been hailed a hero after he told a Good Samaritan to save his younger brother first, minutes before he and his mother were swept away.
Jordan Rice, brother Blake and mother Donna were forced to climb on the roof of their car after they were caught in the flood about 2pm on Monday.
The tragic rescue saw a good Samaritan truck driver save Blake, while Donna tried to grab Jordan, 13, after he became separated from the tree the pair was clinging to.
Ms Rice's devastated partner of about 30 years and father to her four children, John Tyson, said Jordan couldn't swim and was terrified of water.
"(The truck driver) went to grab Jordan first, who said, 'Save me brother'. I can only imagine the fear coursing through his body,'' Mr Tyson, 46, said.
"He won't go down with any fanfare or anything like that - I don't think anyone will even wear a black armband for him - but he's just the champion of all champions, a family hero.''
Mr Tyson should have spent last night celebrating his 46th birthday, but was instead at a morgue.
Donna, Jordan and Blake, 10, were just minutes away from picking up eldest child Chris at his house when the car became stuck near the intersection of James and Kitchener Sts in Toowoomba.
The water was only up to the car wheels, but the engine stopped.
Ms Rice could only ring 000 because her mobile phone had run out of credit.
The family was told to stay put and they climbed on to the roof of the car as the floodwaters rose.
Mr Tyson said bystanders looked on until the semi-trailer driver wrapped some rope around himself and jumped in.
The truck driver rescued Blake, 10, first at Jordan's direction.
The rope broke as he went back to get Jordan and Donna, forcing the pair to cling to a tree.
"Jordan was swept off,'' Mr Tyson said.
"As soon as he went, Donna just let go, you know trying to clutch at him. "The poor little bugger, they just both drowned.''
Mr Tyson said he desperately wanted to make contact with the truck driver, who is described as scrawny.
The cement renderer said he would never have let the trio go if he knew there was any sort of risk.
"It really wasn't raining that hard (when they left),'' Mr Tyson said.
"I said to her, 'You be careful in the rain' but not for one instant if I thought there was any sort of risk would I ever have let her go by herself. I wouldn't have even let her go.''
Mr Tyson said his partner of about 30 years was the best mother who loved cooking and gardening.
"I'm great on a shovel, but she done everything else,'' he said.
"I don't even know where I'm going to start.
He described Jordan as a good kid who loved music and drawing.
"He was a very quiet kid,'' Mr Tyson said.
"He was the exact opposite to all the others. He'd wear purple and chrome boots and red skinny jeans and one of those real sad penguin golf shirts.''
Mr Tyson said the family were originally going to have a birthday dinner for him last night.
"I would never know what it was but she would make sure (she would cook) something I'd like to eat.
"At the end of the day I guess it's just the worst birthday I've ever had in my life.''
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Un gind pios in amintirea unui mic-mare erou australian, Jordan Rice.
Viata continua, cu noi sau fara noi, important e ce ramine in amintirea celorlalti.
In final, un clip care sa va stearga intrucitva tristetea:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TroyeSivan18
