Brisbane, Australia (CNN) -- Anxious Brisbane residents scooped up flashlights and batteries, raided grocery store shelves for supplies and carted valuables away from the reach of rising waters Wednesday as the region prepared for what the Queensland premier described as "the worst natural disaster in our history".
A wave of water was sweeping through the city's main river system and the prediction was ominous.
The Brisbane River, which cuts through the city center, was expected to rise beyond the record set in 1974 when it broke its banks, flooding more than 6,000 homes and killing 14 people.
This time, models predict that 19,700 homes will be "completely flooded" in Brisbane, which is home to more than 1 million people, and another 4,000 homes are likely to be affected in Ipswich, said Queensland Premier Anna Bligh. CNN
