Flood solidarity

AT the start of 2019, Townsville faced a natural disaster that would leave a lasting impact on all of its citizens.

As many would remember, this natural disaster was the flood that occurred in early February.

Over a period of a week, Townsville faced torrential rain, filling up the dam until it was almost overflowing. This forced the council to open the floodgates, releasing an extreme amount of water into the Ross River.

This occurred after 8pm on Sunday, February 3, and for the next 24 hours water levels in most suburbs around Townsville rose past the 100-year flood mark.

Schools closed due to flooding of the campuses or dangers due to water on roads.

Our own St Margaret Mary’s College was one of the most severely impacted, and as a result of this stayed closed longer than every other Catholic school in Townsville, not fully reopening until February 11.

All students and staff were impacted, either directly through loss of their home or family livelihood, or through the impact on their family and friends.

SMMC’S Samaritan campus was inundated with water, severely damaging the music room, theatre and hospitality centre.

Our principal, Kathy Park, was currently staying in the school with her family due to her own home being flooded.

The event had not only a physical, but also an emotional, impact on students, staff members and families.

“It was quite horrific because it happened so fast and no one could foresee it being as bad as it was,” one SMMC student, whose house was damaged severely in the floods, said.

However, out of all the devastation came a silver lining. With everyone affected in some way or another, people came together, in both the SMMC C and the wider Townsville community. Members of these communities helped each other out through the tough days, weeks and months afterwards.

Many people outside of Townsville helped SMMC get back up and running, through fundraising and donations to the school. Brisbane Catholic Education donated up to