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‘Everything’s just gone’: Queenslanders piece their lives back together after the flood

Heartbroken Queenslanders are literally picking up the pieces after floods ravaged the state over the weekend.

La-Toya Enoch had to evacuate four generations of her family when the floods hit her home at Beachmere on the weekend.

All her furniture, the family’s six cars, and even unopened Christmas presents have been swept away or completely ruined by the waters.

“It’s just devastating,” Ms Enoch told The New Daily.

“Everything’s just gone – your whole life.”

Her 87-year-old grandmother, who has dementia and uses a wheelchair, was rescued on a raft by the SES along with the rest of the family.

“For my nan, we have a lot of expensive bedding like a therapeutic bed and chairs, and that’s all gone,” Ms Enoch said.

Queensland floods

Authorities had to rescue La-Toya Enoch’s nan with her wheelchair. Photo: Supplied

Meanwhile, her sister with a six-week-old baby also had to evacuate in the rain.

The household of 14 people are now staying with friends in Caboolture, but Ms Enoch says they don’t know where they’ll go after that.

“It’s just very full-on, overwhelming and sad,” Ms Enoch said.

Family friends have now set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to recover and rebuild.

The family was able to return and assess the damage on Monday.

“Just before we left everything was damp, so I think I’m going to have a lot of mould when I get back in there,” Ms Enoch said.

Queensland floods

The extent of the damage was clear on Monday. Photo: Supplied

Around the region, other people have been affected by the floods in so many ways.

Three years ago, single mum Sacha Beatson sold her home and poured $100,000 into her dog daycare centre, My Dogs Daycare, in Brisbane.

On Friday night, water started coming through the ceiling just after the last dogs had gone home to their owners.

“By the time I came to the front door, the water was already thigh-high,” Ms Beatson told TND.

Brisbane flood damage

My Dogs Daycare in Brisbane was covered in mud and oil when the flood waters receded. Photo: Supplied

The dog behaviouralist of 25 years said her business had survived the pandemic, but she’s not sure whether she can survive this.

“The grooming area was absolutely underwater and the roof’s all fallen in,” Ms Beatson said.

“I have two mechanics on either side, so there is oil and mud everywhere – it looks like an oil slick.”

Because of her location, her insurance won’t cover flood damage.

A friend has also set up a GoFundMe to get her back on her feet.

Brisbane flood dog daycare

Sacha Beatson doesn’t know how her dog daycare centre will recover after the flood. Photo: Supplied

South of the state border in Lismore, people are still evacuating.

Footage on Monday showed entire streets being submerged in water.

“There are many distressing reports, particularly around the Lismore area, of people who are isolated and stranded,” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said.

One resident described she was unable to rescue her neighbours amid rising waters.

“We have an elderly couple next to us who are stuck in their roof cavity. They can’t get out,” she said on Monday.

“They’re banging on the roof and screaming for help and we can’t help them.”

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