Troops clean up after Brisbane storm

SOLDIERS, low-security prisoners and police recruits will today help to clean up Brisbane, which was declared a natural disaster area after it was lashed by one of the most damaging storms to hit the Queensland capital in a quarter of a century.

Roofs were torn from houses, power lines crashed down and one man died in Brisbane on Sunday night as a line of violent storms moved from the Gold Coast, through Brisbane and on to the Sunshine Coast.

The 20-year-old man died after being swept away in a storm-water drain at Chermside, in Brisbane's north.

Police said it was believed he was trying to photograph the storm when the water rose quickly, washing him and a 23-year-old friend away. The friend clung to a drain grill, and police rescued him.

After a day and night spent assessing damage and trying to patch up their homes, 20,000 households in the worst-hit suburbs were still expected to be without power last night.

At the height of the storm, 230,000 properties had lost electricity. Energex had recorded 576cases of toppled power lines, and some homes were expected to remain without power for another 48 hours.

Emergency authorities said up to 4000 homes were damaged by the storm, with 300 homes "significantly damaged" and 30 deemed unliveable.

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday activated natural disaster relief and recovery programs for the area, which will allow people to access emergency money.

And she pledged to cover half of the state Government's clean-up costs.

"The public rightly expects all levels of government to work closely together in times of need so the community can bounce back quickly," Ms Gillard said.

"The Government's thoughts are with the thousands of families that have been caught up in this disaster, and most particularly with the family of the young man who tragically lost his life."

Premier Anna Bligh said the northwestern suburbs of Brisbane, which were the hardest hit, had suffered "a very shocking level of devastation".

"Speaking to very experienced SES officers, they tell me that in their 20 or 30 years of working in this area, they've only seen these sorts of scenes in events like Cyclone Larry," Ms Bligh said.

Many trees were uprooted, homes were without roofs and swimming pools were full of shattered gumtrees yesterday in The Gap, one of the suburbs most damaged by the torrential rain, golf ball-sized hail and frequent lightning strikes.

Melinda and Paul Goodin were yesterday attempting to clean up her parents' house, which had lost its entire roof and ceiling.

"To pack up someone's whole entire life ... what do we do? Where do we take it?" Ms Goodin said.

Dianne Delaney was lost her car in the wild weather but could still see a positive side.

"My car is completely smashed (but) at least it wasn't a life," Ms Delaney said

Ann and Keith Verhoeven have lived in their solid brick-built home for 30 years. On Sunday night, minutes before making dinner, they saw their roof ripped off from above their heads.

"It's unbelievable - unbelievable," Ms Verhoeven said.
"How could this happen?"

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Geoff Doueal said the storm activity developed near the Gold Coast in perfect storm-creating conditions.

"We had all the ingredients for a severe storm: warm, humid air beforehand, unstable conditions with upper levels (of the atmosphere) cooler than the lower levels, and we had a southerly wind change, which was a trigger to the storm," Mr Doueal said.

"It started out as individual storm cells on the Gold Coast hinterland but then formed into a well-organised squall line by the time it got to Brisbane."

Morayfield, north of Brisbane, was drenched with 52mm of rain in 15minutes just before 5.30pm on Sunday.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said 1200 people, including emergency services personnel, Energex staff, Queensland police and the army, were working on the clean-up. He said support crews from across the region and northern NSW were assisting in the relief effort.

Police Minister Judy Spence said more than 60 police recruits and 20 low-level security prisoners would join the clean-up effort today. Police patrols were being boosted to deter looters. More than 100 soldiers from Enoggera Barracks were called in to help attach tarpaulins to damaged houses and remove fallen trees.

"Nothing like this has happened to the city for at least 10 years," Mr Newman said. "Perhaps it goes back to 1985, with a very big storm back in those days."

Residents in The Gap and surrounding areas were warned not to drink the tap water without boiling it first after the roof of a reservoir collapsed. Brisbane City Council said the roof would have been covered in bird droppings and other animal faecal matter, making it potentially dangerous for human consumption.

Transport services are expected to remain disrupted today and traffic lights are out at many intersections.

Ms Bligh said families severely affected by the storm were eligible for a cash assistance payment of up to $765. Individuals could claim $165.

"These are just the immediate cash payments for people who have literally got nothing, for people who need to buy food for their children or buy clothes," the Premier said.

Some people would not be able to return home for weeks, Ms Bligh said.

Two Catholic schools badly damaged by the storms, St Andrew's at Ferny Grove and St Peter Chanel at The Gap, would remain closed until at least tomorrow, school authorities said.

Ms Bligh said up to 4000 insurance claims had already been made, but this would grow.

More storms are expected to hit southeast Queensland tomorrow and on Thursday
[link to www.theaustralian.news.com.au]