Seven people rescued from floodwater in the Territory’s west after ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln
Seven people missing after being stranded by floodwaters caused by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln have been airlifted to safety in a dramatic rescue.
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Seven people stranded due to flood waters have been rescued after being stuck for more than 48 hours in the Central Desert region.
On Sunday afternoon, a car carrying two people left the community of Lajamanu, bound for Yuendumu but they never arrived, according to police.
The next day, another group of five people drove from Lajamanu to try to find the missing car.
About 8am on Tuesday, both cars were reported missing to authorities and a rescue operation was launched.
The stranded groups were located on the Tanami Track, 80km apart, and food was dropped while a plan was organised to have them flown out of the area.
All seven were safely airlifted back to Lajamanu early on Wednesday morning.
Police said the group were in “good spirits” and being assessed at the local health clinic.
“This rescue was the result of considerable efforts from local police and its fantastic that everyone was located safely,” Superintendent Paul Faustmann said.
“It is, however, a reminder of the dangers of driving through flooded areas.
“NT Police would urge everyone on Territory roads to remember the simple message: If its flooded, forget it.”
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln has moved off the West Australia coast, but the Bureau of Meteorology warns it is expected to redevelop impact the west Pilbara coast on Friday and Saturday.
In the Territory minor flooding continues at Daly River police station.
Showers and storms are forecast in the Daly region for the next few days, which may cause some isolated renewed river level rises in the area.
A final flood watch has been issued as water levels drop in parts of the Bonaparte Coastal Rivers, Markly, Tanami Desert and Kimberly.
- The bullet point summary was created with the assistance of AI technology (PaLM2) then edited and approved for publication by an editor.
February 20: Seven people stranded in floods as ex-tropical cyclone heads west
Northern Territory Police are currently in the process of locating two vehicles and seven people stuck in flooded waterways on Tanami Road about 100km from Lajamanu in the Territory’s west.
Police superintendent Daniel Shean said he was hopeful that the rescue would be quick and without incident, but it was another case of people attempting to drive through floodwaters.
“We know who the people are and the only saving grace is that one of those vehicles has a GPS locator on it,” he said.
“We’re quite comfortable that we know where the vehicles are, the issue for us is that they are about 100 kilometres out of Lajamanu and they are stuck so they can’t move further and we don’t know what their food and water provisions are like.
“However, what it does mean is that now police are needing to go out to that location to get those people rather than remaining in the community and assuring community safety.”
Mr Shean said at this stage it seemed the occupants of the vehicles were known to each other but became stuck at separate times.
“We heard from family friends that the one vehicle set off out of Lajamanu to travel to another community,” he said. “That vehicle didn’t arrive at that community which it intended to travel to.
“That raised the alert at Lajamanu and another vehicle was sent out to extract the first vehicle and the second vehicle became stuck as well.”
Mr Shean said they expected all seven of those stuck to be found safe and sound, but there was a chance that a chopper rescue would be required.
The floodwaters towards Lajamanu were brought on by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln which is now straddling the border between Western Australia and the Territory near Halls Creek.
Bureau of Meteorology’s Shenagh Gamble said the area had been on the receiving end of a large amount of rain in the last 24 hours and warnings were still in place.
“We do still have a severe weather warning in the Northern Territory for heavy rainfall in the vicinity of the tropical low,” she said.
“It is important to remember that we could still have moderate to heavy falls particularly around the low or to the cloud bands that are coming off with the circulation of that system.
“Overnight in the 24 hours to this morning, Lajamanu received about 132mm of rain and there is still rain in that area today.”
Ms Gamble said the rest of the Territory could now expect normal wet season weather with Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln now heading into Western Australia.
“Lincoln is expected to continue over the Kimberley coast and then over the waters of the North Kimberley coast Wednesday,” she said.
“From there it would continue down the Western Australia Coast crossing sometime towards the end of this week, Friday or Saturday in the vicinity of the sort of south or west of the Pilbara coast.”
Though the storm front is now heading out of the Territory some roads still remain closed due to flooding or are only accessible by 4WD, head to roadreport.nt.gov.au to find the latest updates.
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