Why closing schools, businesses was the right move

LET'S be honest: ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie let us off lightly.

Wendy Wilson and Leanne Beattistuzzi, of Lismore, take a break from cleaning up. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

LET'S be honest: Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie let us off lightly.

More than 40,000 homes and businesses without power is certainly not a blip, but compared to the devastation she wreaked on Queensland's north and northern New South Wales, not to mention the mammoth flood bearing down on Rockhampton, we were lucky.

But that's all that saved us - luck.

No one could have known the Sunshine Coast would escape a 400mm deluge; no one could have known the skies would have cleared by Friday.

In Lismore the clean up has barely begun after the Northern Rivers city was hit by the worst flood in 40 years.

Rockhampton is bracing for the worst flooding in close to 80.

We learned in 2011 the horror that can result from severe weather events, and we have no alternative but to be cautious.

Thirty-five people died in the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley area as freakish rainfall saturated much of the state.

Last week we saw businesses, schools, TAFES and universities, and courts close; staff and students were sent home for their safety.

Everyone battened down the hatches.

But when the Coast awoke to blue skies on Friday there were plenty unhappy schools and businesses remained closed.

Yes it was inconvenient, but mother nature answers to no one.

Some inconvenience for the sake of potentially saving lives is worth it.

Originally published as Why closing schools, businesses was the right move