Aftermath of flooding in Australia
200,000 people affected in flooded area that covers the size of France and Germany combined
A sign and a pair of children's shoes are seen in front of a flooded street in the Brisbane suburb of Milton January 12, 2011. Thousands of residents of Australia's third-largest city evacuated homes on Wednesday as massive floods began to inundate the financial district, sparked panic buying of food and left authorities despairing for nearly 70 people missing.Mick Tsikas/Reuters
Roofs of houses are visible above floodwaters west of Brisbane.
Luxury apartment blocks rise out of the murky waters of the Brisbane River as floodwaters devastate much of Brisbane.TORSTEN BLACKWOOD
Resident Anne Smart sits on the step of her flooded house after rainwaters the day before inundated the city of Ipswich, some 40 kms southwest of the Queensland city of Brisbane on January 12, 2011. Australia's third-biggest city Brisbane was besieged on January 12 by once-in-a-century floods that could hit up to 20,000 homes, as fears grew up to 25 people were killed by raging torrents.Eddie Safarik/AFP/Getty Images
Residents paddle canoes in a flooded street in the Brisbane suburb of New Farm.Mick Tsikas/Reuters
An entire suburb is submerged outside Ipswich, west of Brisbane.The Associated Press
Floodwaters from the Brisbane River inundate a suburb of Brisbane.TIM WIMBORNE
New South Wales state Premier Kristina Keneally looks from a helicopter at flooded homes at Lawrence.Wolter Peeters
Houses and a bus stop are covered by floodwater on a suburban street in Brisbane.Jonathan Wood
Residents use a canoe to navigate across their flooded suburb of Brisbane.TORSTEN BLACKWOOD
The field at Suncorp Stadium, the iconic Queensland venue for rugby and football matches, is submerged as floodwaters inundate Brisbane.
A suburban road is cut off by flood waters on Jan. 12, 2011 in Brisbane, Australia.Jonathan Wood
A man photographs a submerged ferry terminal on the swollen Brisbane River as flood waters inundate Brisbane, Australia's third-biggest city.TORSTEN BLACKWOOD
Businesses on Castlemaine Street in the Brisbane suburb of Milton are surrounded by floodwater.Bradley Kanaris
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, left, speaks to flood victims at an evacuation centre in Brisbane.Bradley Kanaris
A resident salvages some belongings from his flooded workshop in the Brisbane suburb of Milton.MICK TSIKAS
Police stand watch over a flooded street in Ipswich city centre, some 40 kilometres southwest of Brisbane.EDDIE SAFARIK
A man ties a rope to a vehicle in an attempt to move it off a flooded street in the Brisbane suburb of Breakfast Creek.MICK TSIKAS
Residents gather to look at a flooded hotel in Ipswich city centre, some 40 kilometres southwest of Brisbane.EDDIE SAFARIK
A passenger in a car waves for help as a flash flood sweeps across an intersection in Toowoomba, Australia.STRINGER/AUSTRALIA
Floodwaters surge through streets of Toowoomba, Australia. NicoleNICOLE ALAYNE HAMMERMEISTER
A family waits to be rescued from the roof of their house in Grantham, a township between Toowomba and Brisbane.REUTERS TV
Two girls sit at a flooded bus stop beside the Brisbane River in Brisbane.Bradley Kanaris
Business owners sandbag and clear out their shops in preparation for high flood waters on in Brisbane.Jonathan Wood
Rising flood waters from the Bremer River cover a road in Ipswich, Australia.Jonathan Wood
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, seen through the open window, flies in an Army helicopter to view the flooded Fitzroy River in northeast Queensland state.
People wade up to their waists in water at a street corner in Toowoomba, Australia, as a flash flood carries vehicles past them.
Two vehicles are abandoned on a street in Toowoomba, Australia, during a flash flood.
A flood warning sign is partly submerged in floodwaters in Rockhampton, Australia.DANIEL MUNOZ
The suburb of Depot Hill is cut off after the swollen Fitzroy River broke its banks and flooded the city of Rockhampton.
Residents use boats to get around on a flooded street in the Depot Hill area of Rockhampton, Australia.DANIEL MUNOZ
Floodwaters surround the sewage treatment plant in Rockhampton, Australia.Janie Barrett
A vehicle drives down the flooded runway at Australia’s Rockhampton Airport.TORSTEN BLACKWOOD
A street is covered by floodwaters in the Depot Hill area of Rockhampton, Australia.DANIEL MUNOZ
A woman carries her dog as she walks on a flooded street in the Depot Hill area of Rockhampton, Australia.DANIEL MUNOZ
A snake swims in floodwaters in Rockhampton, Australia.DANIEL MUNOZ
A couple carry supplies as they walk through floodwaters in the Depot Hill area of Rockhampton, Australia.DANIEL MUNOZ
Emergency personnel unload their boat in floodwaters in Rockhampton, Queensland, January 4, 2011. Floodwaters eased in Australia's major coal mining region on Tuesday, allowing some mines to slowly resume production although most remained idle, as devastating floods affect some 200,000 people and force towns to be evacuated. REUTERS/Daniel MunozDANIEL MUNOZ/Reuters
Men take their boat out of floodwaters in Rockhampton, Queensland, January 4, 2011. Floodwaters eased in Australia's major coal mining region on Tuesday, allowing some mines to slowly resume production although most remained idle, as devastating floods affect some 200,000 people and force towns to be evacuated.DANIEL MUNOZ
A woman uses her mobile phone as she sits in the stairs of her house partially submerged in floodwaters in Rockhampton, Queensland, January 4, 2011.Floodwaters eased in Australia's major coal mining region on Tuesday, allowing some mines to slowly resume production although most remained idle, as devastating floods affect some 200,000 people and force towns to be evacuated.DANIEL MUNOZ
In this image provided by the Rockhampton Regional Council, water inundates the suburb of Depot Hill at Rockhampton, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. Residents of Rockhampton, cut off by some of the country's worst flooding in decades are being warned to stay out of the water, and not just because of the risk of being swept away: Debris, snakes and even crocodiles could also pose a danger.
In this image provided by the Rockhampton Regional Council, water inundates the outskirts of Rockhampton, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. Residents of Rockhampton, cut off by some of the country's worst flooding in decades are being warned to stay out of the water, and not just because of the risk of being swept away: Debris, snakes and even crocodiles could also pose a danger.
Locals Fletch (L) and Shaun (R) load "emergency beer supplies" into a boat to take back to their flooded home after the Fitzroy River broke its banks and inundated much of Rockhampton on January 4, 2011. Up to 200,000 people are estimated to have been hit by the floods which have left entire towns under water and cut off many more over an area the size of France and Germany combined, wreaking untold billions in damage to crops and the nation's key mining industryTORSTEN BLACKWOOD