Good grief ...

[blamebrampton]

As Brisbane and Ipswich found the news better than hoped for, Brazil has been struck by disastrous flash floods that have killed at least 250 (more recent reports suggest up to 350). A few lovely flistees have said they wanted to send some flood relief money to Australia come payday. We have enough cash to take care of everyone, if you could, send it down to Brazil as their need is greater.

Things like this make me very glad that the population density of Australia is one of the very lowest in the world. It is awful enough knowing that at least 15 people have died here, but while personal tragedies are equally hideous everywhere, as a country, we are comparatively well off. The splendid i_autumnheart  puts it all perfectly here.

One more handy link that came up today is the Disaster Relief Wiki run by the Fitzroy Oxfam Group. Here people can ask for what they need, and offer what they can give. So if you have a pair of gorgeous, classically styled heels bought for a wedding and worn once ten years ago, you may be able to find a home for them that will not fill you with guilt at the thought of money wasted. Just a random example.

In thoroughly good news, HAPPY BIRTHDAY snottygrrl ! Your Christmas card arrived today, which filled me with guilt as I have not yet posted your birthday one. But I hope you have a fabbo day!

And thanks enormously cinnatart  for your Chrissy card that also arrived today and auntpurl  for your lovely thank you card. I will send a thank you card for your thank you card shortly and commit us both to an endless cycle of pleasantry that we can sell for a fortune as memoirs of a bygone era in fifty years' time.

Comments

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

yes! the impact here has been (and continues to be) dire and heart breaking, but it is generally property and livelihoods. not actual lives. (though every life lost is a tragedy).

but what's happened in brazil is horrific.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It is. And going by GDP and population, Australia is 4-5 times as wealthy as Brazil, so we are better placed to deal with getting people back on their feet. Though they have more people to do the cleaning ... Still, we have the Indonesians and Americans offering help, there are loads of them!

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

Thanks for bringing up Brazil, honey - you have a much wider readership than I do. :)

I also saw that the Philippines are also being hammered, with similar death rates and homeless - also floods and mudslides. Guh!

There's a lot of people battling right now. :(

[i-autumnheart.livejournal.com]

It's lovely that places like Indonesia and Papua New Guinea have pledged millions, but I actually hope that the government returns it so it can be spent on their own people. Like NZ did for the Christchurch earthquakes, we will have the resources to cope.

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

thanks, hon! i can't believe it took that long for the card! that's nearly a month. no need to feel in the slightest bit guilty, i just sent my step-mum's gift today and her bdays already past :P

[under-an-oak.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this agonising cycle of failing to mail various seasonal cards on time. I may have bitten off more than I could chew when I promised a few friends little ficlets in their cards. I'm side-eyeing myself so bad right now.

On another note, thank you for the links on the disasters and how to help! I was in Japan when I heard about it, and was flabbergasted to hear Brazil affected as well, & I think there's another country hit as well?

[deensey.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the wiki link

[bonfoi.livejournal.com]

I'm going to donate to Doctors Without Borders, they'll go where the need is.

It's just so strange to see so much geology happening, so much earth and water moving at once.

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

It's madness. I was still sobered by the news out of Australia, and then I got totally rocked by news of Brazil's tragedy. Having friends in both countries makes it that much more frightening.