Oz floods: Ravages and relief

Devastated residents of Australia's third-largest city Brisbane, dug their ruined possessions out of piles of putrid sludge as deadly floodwaters that swamped entire neighborhoods receded Friday, revealing the grim aftermath of one of the nation's worst natural disasters.

Weeks of flooding across Australia's northeast have caused 26 deaths, while 53 people are still missing.

Most of the people still unaccounted for are from around Toowoomba, where a sudden downpour caused a flash flood likened to an inland tsunami.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard doubled the number of defense personnel involved in the recovery effort to 1,200. About 57,000 homes were still without power across Queensland. Highways and rail lines have been washed away, and the disaster is shaping up to be Australia's costliest.

Damage estimates were already at $5 billion before the floodwaters swamped Brisbane.

Here are some of the most unforgettable images of the floods in Australia.

Bond of brothers: Let's begin with one tale has captured everyone's attention in the midst of widespread flooding. That of a 13-year-old boy caught in the flood who told strangers to save his 10-year-old brother first and died as a result. Jordan has been hailed as a hero on the front pages of papers after making this astounding sacrifice. (AP Photo)

Help from the skies: There are other people too, who tried to make a difference. Video of an Australian pilot rescuing people during the Queensland flood disaster was released on Thursday. (AP Photo)

The size of Germany and France combined: This image provided by NASA shows the inundated city of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. Heavy rains that began in late December led to the continent's worst flooding in nearly a half century, at its peak inundating an area the size of Germany and France combined. Rockhampton is the largest city affected by the current flooding. Both the airport and major highways are underwater, isolating the city. In this natural color rendition, muddy water is brown, and shallow, clearer water is gray. Vegetation is depicted in various shades of green, and buildings and streets are white. (AP Photo)

In the nick of time: A man is rescued by emergency workers after he was stranded clinging to a tree on a flooded street in Toowoomba, Australia, during a flash flood Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. (AP Photo/ABC)

Ferried to safety: In this photo released by the Northern Territory Police, four German tourists are safely rescued from the flooded Magela Creek, near Jabiru, Australia, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Drenching rain that started before Christmas has flooded an area the size of France and Germany combined. (AP Photo)

Vehicles abandoned: Flash floods swept through the northeastern Australian community Monday, overturning cars and flinging a van against several trees as relentless rains brought more misery to a region battling its worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/ABC)

Mass destruction: A car wreck outside the town of Grantham in South East Queensland, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. Deadly floodwaters that have cut a swath across northeastern Australia flowed onto the streets of Brisbane, the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee suburbs and skyscrapers. (AP Photo)

And another one...

Is this really Queensland? The town of Chinchilla in Queensland, Australia is seen flooded. Days of torrential downpours have left parts of central and southern Queensland state inundated, flooding thousands of homes and businesses, cutting off roads and forcing one town's entire population to evacuate. (AP Photo)

Floating away: The remains of a floating restaurant called Drift Cafe is swept down the Brisbane River Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, as floodwaters surge through Brisbane, Australia. (AP Photo)

Submerged: A rural industrial area, south of Rockhampton, Australia, is overwhelmed by floodwaters Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. (AP Photo)

Flood fury bursts banks: In this image provided by the Rockhampton Regional Council, the Fitzroy River bursts its banks at Rockhampton, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. Residents of Rockhampton, were cut off by some of the country's worst flooding in decades and were warned to stay out of the water, and not just because of the risk of being swept away: Debris, snakes and even crocodiles could also pose a danger. (AP Photo)

Marooned: In this Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011 photo, an island is formed by flood water stranding vehicles and other equipment in Rockhampton, Australia. (AP Photo)

Waiting for help: In this Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011 photo, locals in their boat are tied to their house in the floodwaters in Depot Hill, Rockhampton, Australia. Floods cut air, rail and road links to an Australian coastal city and are now threatening its sewage plant. (AP Photo)

The art of survival: People wade up to their waists in water at a street corner in Toowoomba, Australia, as a flash flood carries vehicles past them Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. (AP Photo)

Touch and go: People cling to railings and metal fences on a flooded street in Toowoomba, Australia, during a flash flood Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. Flash floods swept through the northeastern Australian community, trapping people in cars and leaving some clinging to trees as relentless rains brought more misery to a region battling its worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo)

The aftermath: Mud-caked debris is piled in front of a house at Condamine, Australia, after floodwater washed away or ruined household items from hundreds of homes, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Some victims of Australia's worst floods in decades returned to their homes to find them caked in sludge as others nervously watched the skies for more rain and waited for swollen rivers to recede. (AP Photo)

Preparing for the worst: Local residents fill bags with sand to use as protection as the Brisbane river burst its banks to cause widespread flooding in Brisbane, Australia, on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. Residents in low-lying regions of the state capital of Brisbane were urged to sandbag their homes and later told to move to higher ground. (AP Photo)

Bracing for more to come? Volunteers help fill a vehicle with sandbags as the Brisbane river burst its banks to cause widespread flooding in Brisbane, Australia, on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. Queensland has been in the grip of its worst flooding for more than two weeks, after tropical downpours across a vast area of the state covered an area the size of France and Germany combined. (AP Photo)

In pieces: A house lies destroyed under a tree in Brisbane, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. Deadly floodwaters that have cut a swath across northeastern Australia flowed onto the streets of the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee suburbs and skyscrapers. (AP Photo)

This used to be a sports ground: In this photo provided by the Gympie Regional Council, the Albert Park sports ground is completely flooded at Gympie, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. Military helicopters searched Tuesday for scores of people missing after a tsunami-like wall of water ripped through an Australian valley, tossing cars like toys in the deadliest episode of a weeks-long flood crisis. (AP Photo)

Destruction all around: Vehicles swept away during flash flooding scatter the country side in South East Queensland, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. Deadly floodwaters that have cut a swath across northeastern Australia flowed onto the streets of Brisbane, the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee suburbs and skyscrapers. (AP Photo)

After the inland Tsunami: Car wrecks outside the town of Grantham in South East Queensland, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. The small town was hit by flash flooding causing mass destruction. Deadly floodwaters that have cut a swath across northeastern Australia flowed onto the streets of Brisbane, the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee suburbs and skyscrapers. (AP Photo)

Pools of flood water: In this Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 photo made available Friday, Jan. 14, floodwater turns Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium into a giant pool. Parts of Brisbane reopen as deadly floodwaters that had swamped entire neighborhoods recede, revealing streets and thousands of homes covered in a thick layer of putrid sludge. (AP Photo)

In the middle of nowhere: A wallaby stands on a large round hay bail trapped by rising flood waters outside the town of Dalby in Queensland, Australia Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010. Days of torrential downpours have left parts of central and southern Queensland state inundated, flooding thousands of homes and businesses, cutting off roads and forcing the entire populations of two towns to evacuate. (AP Photo)

Cleaning up: People survey the damage after a flash flood tossed vehicles down a street in Toowoomba. (AP Photo)

Tough road to recovery: Tow truck workers clear vehicles from a street in Toowoomba, Australia, following a flash flood. Flash floods swept through the northeastern Australian community killing one woman, trapping others in cars and leaving some clinging to trees as relentless rains brought more misery to a region battling its worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/ABC)