Attachments
This detailed astronaut photograph
illustrates flooding in suburbs of the Brisbane, Australia metropolitan
region. The Brisbane area experienced catastrophic flooding following unusually
heavy rainfall on January 10, 2011. With surficial soils already saturated
from previous rainfall events, eastward-draining surface flow caused the
Brisbane River to flood-inundating an estimated 20,000 homes in suburbs
of the capital city of Queensland. Other cities in Queensland have also
experienced damaging floods during previous heavy rainfall events this
year.
The image, taken by astronauts
on board the International Space Station, highlights several suburbs along
the Brisbane River in the southern part of the Brisbane metropolitan area.
The light-colored rooftops of residences and other structures contrast
sharply with green vegetation and brown, sediment laden floodwaters. Most
visible low-lying areas are inundated by floodwater, perhaps the most striking
being Rocklea at image upper left. The suburb of Yeronga (image lower left)
also has evident regions of flooding, as does a park and golf course located
along a bend in the Brisbane River to the south of St. Lucia (image center).
Flooding becomes less apparent near the higher elevations of Mt. Coot-Tha
at image right.