Residents in flood-affected areas of the Northern Territory have been warned to stay out of crocodile-infested waters, as tropical lows bring major flooding and heavy rain to the Top End and Queensland. Hundreds of people have been evacuated, with the entire town of Nauiyu/Daly River evacuated by Sunday afternoon, according to NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro.
The Katherine River peaked at 19.2 metres on Saturday night, the highest since 1998 floods that claimed three lives. The Daly River continues to rise and is expected to exceed 15.3 metres in the coming week, surpassing 1957 levels. NT Incident Control Acting Commander Shaun Gill urged residents not to enter floodwaters, noting crocodiles are highly active. “There are crocs absolutely everywhere … please don’t go in the water,” he said.
Around 1,000 people are in shelters after evacuations from Nganmarriyanga, Nauiyu, Katherine, and Jilkminggan, using six aircraft and 18 helicopters. Eighty people unable to leave on Saturday due to weather were evacuated Sunday morning after being taken to higher ground by boat overnight. Federal and territory governments are activating assistance payments, capped at $1,537 per family, with re-establishment funds up to $8,847 for eligible households.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jude Scott said the Daly River could remain at major flood level for at least a week. The focus is now moving to Queensland, where a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall is in place for the north-west, with isolated six-hourly totals up to 100mm and up to 170mm on the Sunshine Coast. A flood watch is in place for most of Queensland, with major flooding risk on the Georgina, Lower Flinders, and Thomson rivers.
Chief Minister Finocchiaro confirmed government offices, courts, and several schools will be closed Monday, with some schools used as shelters. Two patients from Katherine hospital were evacuated to Darwin, and 20 pregnant women were airlifted as a precaution. The Stuart Highway remains closed due to flooding, but trains are now running from Alice Springs to Darwin, which Finocchiaro called “good news for food”.
