Inside cyclone, flood hit zone at Wujal Wujal

First hit by the full force of category 2 strength winds when Cyclone Jasper crossed the coast last week, Wujal Wujal was then caught by the sting of the system’s tail when 625mm to 796mm was recorded. This is how they are faring.

Pallets of supplies to feed hundreds of shell-shocked Wujal Wujal flood victims have been flown into Cooktown in the immediate aftermath of ex-Cyclone Jasper.

Australian Army CH-47F chinooks flew the last evacuees to Cooktown on Thursday where they joined about 150 other Wujal Wujal residents at the Cooktown PCYC.

Wujal Wujal residents were forced to leave the remote indigenous community when the Bloomfield River broke its banks on Sunday and destroyed the township.

Clinic in Wujal Wujal devastated by floods. Picture: Supplied

First hit by the full force of category 2 strength winds when Cyclone Jasper crossed the coast last week, Wujal Wujal was then caught by the sting of the system’s tail when 625mm to 796mm was recorded in the Bloomfield River area in the 48 hours to December 15.

Speaking from the Cooktown evacuation centre, Wujal Wujal local Roderick Nunn, 66, said he was amazed at the level of devastation to his town.

Wujal Wujal community members Cynthia Basini and Jarrett Basini arrive at the Cooktown PCYC after being evacuated from their Far North Queensland town by an Australian Army Chinook helicopter. The entire community of Wujal Wujal has been evacuated following the flood emergency, with the majority of the town staying at the Cooktown PCYC, which is set up as an evacuation centre by the Australian Red Cross. Picture: Brendan Radke

“My father said one day the (Bloomfield) River will break its banks, and he was right,” he said.

“It’s bad, even the street out the back of our house, it’s like a river and there’s rocks in there.

“Centrelink and the council office was underwater, it even smashed the arts centre.

“It was traumatic, growing up and living all your life there, it breaks your heart, it’s very sad.”

It’s understood some Wujal Wujal residents refused to leave their community but were eventually persuaded to get out on the last flight which arrived in Cooktown on Thursday.

Mr Nunn said he had been told it could take up to nine months before he could return to the town that is now without water, power and sewage.

The entire community of Wujal Wujal has been evacuated following the flood emergency, with the majority of the town staying at the Cooktown PCYC, which is set up as an evacuation centre by the Australian Red Cross. Picture: Brendan Radke

On Thursday 19 pallets loaded with essential food, toiletries and clothing arrived in Cooktown which is part of a disaster response coordinated by the Salvation Army.

North Queensland Salvation Army response coordinator Lincoln Stevens said supplies had been calculated to last six days based on a headcount of 400 people, however on Thursday only 150 evacuees had arrived at the centre.

Wujal Wujal residents Josie Olbar and Roderick Nunn stand outside the Cooktown PCYC. The entire community has been evacuated, with the majority of the town staying at the Cooktown PCYC, which is set up as an evacuation centre by the Australian Red Cross. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The tricky part is a lot of people have been evacuated from Wujal Wujal but they may be staying with relatives nearby but they don’t have enough bedding in those places,” he said.

“As far as how long it’s going to take for them to get back into Wujal Wujal, I can’t comment on that but, it will take a while.

“Most of them seem OK, but from past experience, we know that people are very emotional. And (what they have with them is) all of their belongings, and there’s lots of questions that they’ll have.”

Following requests from emergency services via NEMA, Defence deployed two Army CH-47F Chinooks and two AW-139 helicopters from Townsville to Cairns.

The helicopters assisted in transporting about 150 emergency service personnel and equipment to Cairns, and evacuated isolated residents.

A crowdfunding campaign to support the people of Wujal Wujal has raised more than $33,000 in three days.

Originally published as Inside cyclone, flood hit zone at Wujal Wujal