As flood waters rose above her knees, Binnie O'Dwyer frantically waded around her submerging home in the eastern Australian town of Lismore, trying to save as many of her favorite possessions as possible.
The mother of two was one of thousands of flood victims forced to flee their homes after heavy rains burst river banks and spilled over levees in late February, leaving entire towns underwater across New South Wales state.
"I'd already grabbed a few of the important things — the passports and birth certificates — and then I was just running around thinking, 'What do I do now? Do I pick my favorite pair of jeans?'" she said.