Rebuild or relocate? Australians face painful dilemma as floods become the new normal

Mick Hobbins at his flood-damaged house in Chinderah in northern NSW. Hobbins is determined to stay put but others are not sure they can live with the threat of another serious flood. Photograph: Conal Hanna/The Guardian

In 2011, Frank King was attempting to move his car to higher ground when he was swept away by a raging torrent of water rushing through Grantham in south-east Queensland.

King, then 66, managed to grab a tree and held on for 90 desperate minutes as the force of the water tore his trousers from his body.