Hobart experienced a “severe weather event” during Thursday and Friday.

More than the average months rain fell in a few hours. Multiple storms hit the city as lightning and thunder rolled around for five hours. I took these photos a few minutes before we experienced a total blackout. The storm water drain looked more like a fountain.

The Hobart Rivulet burst its banks during the night, cars floated down the main streets. (These pictures are from the internet).

Homes and businesses were flooded, some by the Rivulet, others from rain water. Luckily, we live on the first floor but neighbours below us had water damage. We lent torches and candles during the power cut and offered help.

The University Law Library was flooded, with books ending up outside.

Aussie Mate is Night Manager at a city hotel. He spent Thursday night in ankle deep water as their Reception, Restaurant, Kitchen and car park were flooded. Electricity supply was intermittent, no lifts, no breakfast, limited hot water. Ten rental cars were damaged, so abandoned by guests. You can see the high-water mark on this car and the mud left behind as the water receded.

This morning I took a walk around our city. Lots of people are busy cleaning up.

Our usually picturesque waterfront was full of floodwater debris, so is now being dredged.

The Rivulet is still running high. This is a normal day compared to yesterday morning.
You can see here where it rose above the wall and marker, leaving debris in its path.

There is still much to repair.

It’s been an eventful couple of days. Our first experience of flooding. Although power is back on, one of our circuits will not reset, so we have important things like fridge, freezer, tv, internet, but no lights. We can manage with candle light until Monday, electricians are busy helping others in more urgent need than us.

This is not our usual promotion of Hobart, of “our place”. I should reassure you that previous significant floods in the city were in 1929, 1960, 1973. Now 2018 can been added to the list. Place in the World