Australia's

Asia's

The worst flooding in decades has affected an area the size of Germany and France, left towns virtual islands in a muddy inland sea, cut major rail and road links to coal ports, slashed exports and forced up world coal prices.

"Seventy-five per cent of our mines are currently not operating because of this flood, so that's a massive impact on the international markets and the international manufacture of steel," Premier Anna Bligh told local television.

Queensland state is the world's biggest exporter of coal used in steel-making.

"Queensland is a very big state. It relies on the lifelines of its transport system, and those transport systems in some cases are facing catastrophic damage," said Bligh.

"Without doubt this disaster is without precedent in its size and its scale here in Queensland. What I'm seeing in every community I visit is heartbreak, devastation."

Residents in flooded towns worked desperately to build sandbag levees on Wednesday in the hope of holding back the rising waters. In the cattle town of Rockhampton, a rise of just 20 cm (8 in) in floodwaters would inundate another 400 homes and lap at the front door of a further 4,000 properties.

Photo shows emergency personnel arriving with an injured man from a remote house partially submerged in floodwaters in Rockhampton, Queensland, January 4, 2011.

Article continues: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BU09620110105

Tim Diamond 03pm January 05 Cotton On Foundation are donation proceeds from their charity sales in 700+ retail stores globally to assist those affected by the floods. T... View Full Comment Close Full Comment

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