The NT’s Top End is copping a serious drenching – even by Wet Season standards – and flooding has become a major problem.
An active monsoon trough has brought heavy rainfall and squally showers to the area for more than a week, seeing Telstra outages, power blackouts and sweeping cars off roads.
The tiny town of Daly Waters has just been evacuated as the waters rise rapidly. The town’s river is expected to reach a major flood level of 14 metre.
The evacuation of some 280 people from the community which is about 210km south of Darwin, comes after widespread weekly rainfall totals of 300mm to 350mm recorded throughout the lower Daly River. The NT News reports that, in the past 24 hours, rainfall totals of 60mm to 120mm have been recorded.
“We expect the Daly River to remain at a major flood level until at least Monday next week,” said Northern Region Emergency Controller, Matt Hollamby. “We’ll assess it as time goes on, it’s a continual assessment and reassessment of the circumstances but they won’t return to Daly River while the river is at major flood levels.”
Emergency crews helping with the evacuation are said to be being very wary of crocodiles moving into the area.
Residents in Darwin’s rural area are also being warned to sandbag homes and prepare for possible flash flooding as Darwin River Dam reaches its capacity and starts to spill. The ABC reports that the dam is designed to overflow to reduce pressure on its wall but, during an overflow, river levels downstream may rise rapidly and suddenly change water levels at road crossings.
Elsewhere, a moderate flood warning is in place for the Adelaide River, a minor warning for the Katherine River, and the North West and Bonaparte Coastal Rivers remain on a flood watch.
Lots of reasons to stay home. Go in the dry.
A wonderful part of Australia!! Lived there for many years…But everyone had better be on the look out for crocodiles!!!! …they move about the flooded creeks in the BIG WET!!
Doing the crocodile rock the reptile and the tourist.
All jokes aside, the North is going to be a picture this year.