Natasha Fyles consults with Kalkarindji, Daguragu, Pigeon Hole, and Palumpa

While evacuees continue to shelter in the Top End, generous residents are volunteering in the flooded region to look after abandoned pets. See the papped pooches.

The NT government could consider relocating flood-impacted communities as assessors continue surveying the damage to Kalkarindji, Daguragu, Pigeon Hole, and Palumpa.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the government would work with evacuated community members to future-proof their homes.

“These communities were impacted by flooding in 2001, more recently, and so they were consulted in 2018, 2019 about new homes that were built, and the community elected for those homes to be built on existing sites,” she said.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the government would work with communities to future-proof their homes. Picture: Pema Tamang

“In the wake of this event, we’ll work with them around what they would like to see, and I can point towards Beswick, for example – it took decades to move homes in Beswick to higher ground, so we need to be compassionate in this space.

“These are people’s homes, their lives, but at the same time, I think we do need to provide resilience to our community, so we’ll work through that, particularly around Pigeon Hole, which was completely inundated.”

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the Pigeon Hole community was ‘completely inundated’ by flooding.

A SecureNT spokesman said assessors travelled to the NT’s flooded communities on Tuesday, but could not yet confirm exactly how many homes were destroyed.

“The Territory Government is deploying teams to the regions to assess the damage and plan for the next steps in the recovery,” he said.

“Authorities (are attending) the community to undertake a number of assessments to check for damage to buildings and service infrastructure, the integrity of drinking water and sewerage, road conditions and so on.”

The spokesman said it was too early to estimate the damage bill, how long it would take to clean up the communities, or when evacuees would be able to return home.

A SecureNT spokeswoman said the Animal Welfare and Biosecurity functional group – operated by the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Trade – was providing regular food drops for pets left behind in the flooded communities.

“At Kalkarindji and Daguragu, food is left at various sites around the townships and is checked daily by a member of the community,” she said.

“Pigeon Hole has a couple of remaining residents who have volunteered to feed and check welfare of animals.

“NT government staff from Katherine are liaising with locals including station owners regarding their animals.

“DITT will continue to monitor the welfare of the animals until local residents are repatriated.”