The impossible decision facing a flood-ravaged community

The decimation of Lismore the town at the heart of the NSW Northern Rivers is unthinkable It suffered the full force of Australia s worst ever flood in February - a 14 4 metre wall of raging water that seemed to spare no one - and then just a month later Lismore was wacked again by another massive flood this one the third biggest in the town s history The extraordinary on-going clean-up has revealed the extent of the terrible damage but as we learn from the people of Lismore it s also exposed their anger at the failure of emergency services to better warn and protect them despite indicators they were in danger And most controversially it's raised the question over the very existence of Lismore Should the country s most flood prone town even be rebuilt

• Select a category