1955 Hunter Valley Floods
The Hunter Valley Floods (also known as the Maitland Flood) of February 1955 was a major flood on the Hunter River in New South Wales, Australia. They were one of the most devastating natural disasters in Australia's history.
The flood overwhelmed rivers on both sides of the Great Dividing Range, creating an inland sea the size of England and Wales. Worst hit was the inland city of Maitland, which is sited precariously on low-lying land on the Hunter, was completely inundated by floodwaters. A total of 25 lives were claimed during a week of flooding that washed away 58 homes and damaged 103 beyond repair. In Maitland alone, 2180 homes were invaded by water.
Read more about 1955 Hunter Valley Floods: Timeline
Famous quotes containing the words hunter, valley and/or floods:
“I don’t see black people as victims even though we are exploited. Victims are flat, one- dimensional characters, someone rolled over by a steamroller so you have a cardboard person. We are far more resilient and more rounded than that. I will go on showing there’s more to us than our being victimized. Victims are dead.”
—Kristin Hunter (b. 1931)
“All the Valley quivered one extended motion, wind
undulating on mossy hills”
—Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926)
“Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together.
Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth; with
righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalm XCVIII (l. XCVIII, 8–9)