‘Drunk’ man left waiting for help on roof of 4WD after trying to drive through flood waters

AN attempt to cross floodwaters on the Marrakai Rd left an ambitious driver sitting on the roof of his car as he waited for help to arrive

A 4wd became stuck in the middle of a flooded section of Marrakai Rd after the driver attempted to cross. PICTURE: Supplied

AN attempt to cross floodwaters on the Marrakai Rd left an ambitious driver up shit creek, clutching to the roof of his car as he waited for help to arrive.

A witness, who asked not to be named, said the group, who appeared to have been drinking, advised their driver not to attempt crossing the flooded road.

The warning, it appears, was unheeded.

“The fella was just sitting on his roof ... and his mates were just waiting for help to arrive,” the witness said.

“They said: ‘no, no, we’re not going in, we’ll just wait here’.” The witness and a few friends were themselves trying to make it to the Margaret River on Sunday afternoon after fishing in a culvert.

“I’m always keen to help people out ... last year we came across somebody stuck in a creek (but) I think this bloke was just up shit creek,” he said.

The Nissan Patrol was almost completely underwater, and the witness said the driver was lucky to have not caught the attention of local crocs.

“There wasn’t really anything I could do for him.

“There was no way anyone could get across from that.”

The NT News understands the man eventually swam to safety.

“He and his passengers were OK ... help was on its way.”

“(They were) celebrating New Year and (were) very merry.”

Marrakai Rd, on the outskirts of Darwin, remains flooded and closed between the Margaret and Adelaide Rivers.

Other parts of the road are damaged and recommended only for high-clearance 4WDs.

Heavy rains that have lashed the Top End in recent weeks show no signs of easing soon. Dozens of roads remain closed, impassable or have warnings in place because of floods or storm damage.

The Bureau of Meteorology expects river levels in the western Top End to continue rising in coming days, potentially cutting off some towns until rains ease.