In 1974, the flooding Brisbane River of Queensland, Australia, peaked at 5.4 metres. It has been etched in local memory as the worst inundation the city and surrounding areas faced in the 20th century. Although the Brisbane River peaked just below the 1974 level on 13 January 2011, the damage has been far more targic and it is now the new point of reference for flood devastation.

Flooding triggered by exceptionally heavy monsoon rains has claimed the lives of more than 1,500 people in Pakistan during the last three weeks. A country already deeply troubled by ongoing violence and political unrest, Pakistan must now deal with the anguish of up to 20 million people affected by high waters that have washed away crops and destroyed entire villages. More than 4 million people are without homes and up to 3.5 million children are living under the constant threat of water-borne illnesses.

“The months January and February in Cusco are known for the rain,” said Raymond Scholten of Chaska Tours, an ecotourism and adventure tour operator – your whl.travel local connection – based in this famous city of southern Peru. “Everybody is prepared for the rain, but this year the amount broke all records. It rained endlessly for almost…