BoM issues second flood watch for Western and Tanami Desert area

The BoM has issued a second flood watch for South West Northern Territory. Residents are being urged to prepare and have the appropriate provisions ready SEE WHERE.

THE second flood watch has been issued for South West Northern Territory with expected rainfalls of up to 120mm.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) website, the ex-tropical cyclone Tiffany will remain a “deep tropical low” while it moves south towards the NT from the southern Kimberley in WA over the weekend.

Rainfall is expected to start from Saturday in the Tanami Desert, extending into the Western Desert during Sunday into Monday.

Three day rainfall totals for these areas are expected to be between 70 to 120mm.

Acting Territory Controller Michael Murphy said flood watch was centralised around the Western and Tanami Desert area, affecting Yuendumu, Kintore, Docker River and Yulara.

“We’ll see roads cut off (and) we’ll see localised flooding,” Cntlr Murphy said.

“Messaging has already occurred in the community by our local controllers through our Regional Controller in Alice Springs.”

NT Police Acting Territory Controller Michael Murphy. Picture: Floss Adams.

He warned for residents to be prepared and to restrict unnecessary travel.

“Make sure community members have provisions for the next 72 hours, water and food so if they need to stay at home they can,” Cntlr Murphy said.

“If you have to travel, please tell someone where you’re going on what route you’re taking. If there’s a flooded causeways, under no circumstances cross it.

“These waters move fast and are treacherous.

“Listen to the BoM our emergency services personnel to make sure you’re informed to look out for yourselves and community.”

UPDATE FRIDAY: Remote residents in the Southern and Barkly region are being encouraged by emergency services to be prepared for a possible severe weather event this weekend.

Significant rainfall is expected for the Lasseter and Tanami areas as Ex-Tropical Tiffany moves south late on Sunday and early into next week.

Northern Territory Emergency Service acting director Ian Carlton said the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) have issued a flood watch for the South West Northern Territory.

“Rainfall is expected to start from Saturday in the Tanami Desert, extending into the Simpson Desert during Sunday into Monday,” Mr Carlton said.

“Three day rainfall totals for these areas are expected to be between 70 to 120mm for the areas around Yuendumu, Kintore, Yulara and Docker River.

“If this is the case, and following the severe heatwave the area has just had, we can expect potential flooding in localised areas.”

Mr Carlton urged residents in communities which potentially could be affected, to ensure they have adequate provisions which would last a few days.

“Rather than risk driving on flooded or impassable roads,” he said.

Authorities recommend residents in these areas should ensure they have food and water provisions which can sustain you and each family member for up to 72 hours.

Tidy yards of loose objects and restrict all unnecessary travel in the event of flooding in the area.

“While Alice Springs and Tennant Creek will be lucky if they see any significant rain, at least this weather event will cool the area down significantly,” Mr Carlton said.

UPDATE THURSDAY: Ex-tropical Cyclone Tiffany – the first cyclone to cross the NT coast in several seasons – was still causing havoc on Thursday after being downgraded to a tropical low.

Tiffany crossed the coast near Port Roper as a category 1 on Wednesday but most communities in its path managed to avoid major damage.

But the low-lying pressure system that followed brought heavy rain across the base of the Top End, parts of the western Top End and the Roper River districts, with between 70-150mm of rain ­recorded in places.

The Waterhouse River has broken its banks, flooding Beswick (Wugularr) in the aftermath to Cyclone Tiffany crossing the coast on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied

The system deluged the Wugularr (Beswick) region, causing the Waterhouse River to rise above 8.5m and prompting a major flood warning from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).

Wugularr shop manager Ken Bull said water had already started subsiding on Thursday afternoon but there was “still a fair bit lying around”. “Everyone else seems more worried than us to be honest, but, yeah, she got pretty high, the river,” Mr Bull said.

He said the river rose to 8.53m but did not impact any homes in the regions.

The emergency services committee was meeting again late on Thursday, he said.

Emergency services said the river had peaked on Thursday morning but flood warnings would remain in place.

Large trees were uprooted on Rachael Walters’ property near Mataranka. Picture: Rachael Walters

Winds and a huge deluge of rain knocked down large trees on this property near Mataranka. Picture: Rachael Walters

The Central Arnhem Rd at the Waterhouse River is closed due to water over the road. The road is a major connector ­between communities in East Katherine and Arnhem Land.

Emergency services urged all road users to wait for floods to subside and not to try to cross. A flood watch remains current for many parts of the western Top End and Roper River catchment. A severe weather warning was also issued for damaging winds and heavy rainfall in Daly and parts of Arnhem, Carpentaria and Gregory districts, as ex-tropical Cyclone Tiffany continues to move westwards.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rebecca Patrick said there had been significant rainfall in the Waterhouse River catchment near Wugularr over the past 24 hours.

“We had 155mm so far in the last 24 hours at (one catchment) and also Wugularr bridge itself had 138mm,” Ms Patrick told ABC Radio.

“Further afield, we’ve had widespread 40-80mm around the base of the Top End but also in the Daly District.

“We do have a flood warning for Wugularr, (water levels) have gone over the major line but, fortunately, a lot of the housing is now above that line, which is good news for them.”

As water flows down from Beswick, Little Roper River resident Rachael Walters said she was expecting to see flooding over the next 24 hours near her property.

The Waterhouse River has broken its banks, flooding Beswick (Wugularr) in the aftermath to Cyclone Tiffany crossing the coast on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied

During the storm on later Tuesday night, Ms Walters said “a tree came down on our caravan and scared the life out of us”.

“Afterwards everyone in town had to go out and find their wheelie bins,” she said.

Katherine Mayor Lis Clark said she believed Katherine River would not rise enough to flood the town, but warned people to “be prepared”.

The remnants of the ex-tropical Cyclone Tiffany weather system over the western Top End on Friday morning. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

“Have your medicines, food, drinking water and anything for your pets – be prepared just in case,” Ms Clark said.

“Listen to the news and stay up to date.” But the BoM on Thursday issued a “minor flood warning” for the Katherine River at the Nitmiluk Centre. On its website, it said: “River levels are rising throughout the Katherine River catchment, and minor flooding is likely to develop at Nitmiluk Centre from Thursday afternoon.

The Waterhouse River has broken its banks, flooding Beswick (Wugularr) in the aftermath to Cyclone Tiffany crossing the coast on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied

“In the 24 hours to 9am Thursday, widespread rainfall totals of 90-150mm have been recorded across the Katherine River catchment.”

BoM senior forecaster Sally Cutter said the constant rainfall that residents around the Katherine area had been experiencing was called the “train effect”.

“As if you were standing on a train line, think of each carriage as being one shower and you get multiple showers over the one spot,” Ms Cutter said

“It’s quite common to see the train effect around these tropical lows.”

EARLIER: The remote Aboriginal community of Ngukurr is bracing for intensifying winds on Wednesday afternoon as Tropical Cyclone Tiffany crosses the coast near Port Roper.

Several trees have fallen and the power is down, but there has not yet been any reports of major damage to buildings or community infrastructure.

“We’re holding our breath a little bit at the moment,” said Brock Schaefer-Walker, deputy chief executive at Yugal Mangi Development Corporation.

In Ngukurr, located in the banks of the Roper River, trees have fallen and the power is down. Picture: Supplied.

“There is a little bit of concern but there’s definitely no panic.”

Located on the banks of the Roper River in southern Arnhem Land, the 1000-person community has been issued a cyclone warning for the category 1 system moving through the region.

Mr Schaefer-Walker said more than 100 people were sheltering at the local childcare centre, but most had chosen to stay home.

“We’ve still got plenty of room here and at the local school and library, which is also a shelter,” he said.

“We’re just making sure that we’ve got food and shelters and people are settled.”

“There isn’t a lot of people trying to rocket down the highway and get out or anything, which is a bit of a relief.”

More than 100 people in Ngukurr have sheltered in the childcare centre in Ngukkar. Picture: Supplied.

Territorians further afield have also felt Tiffany’s fury, with storm cells connected to the cyclone already causing damage overnight in Katherine, 395km west of the coast.

Katherine resident Laura Farmer said her one tonne trailer broke its chain and was pushed 6m by blistering winds on Wednesday morning.

Ms Farmer said it was only stopped when a pile of old mesh was blown 20m into its path, with the wires clogging up the wheels.

“Very surprised, I didn’t think it would move a trailer,” she said.

Ms Farmer said many trees on the property were also knocked down, but there was no house or vehicle damage.

Katherine residents reported trees were knocked down on Wednesday morning before the arrival of Cyclone Tiffany, on January 12. Picture: Contributed

“(But) a house down the road has had the stable crushed by trees,” she said.

Ms Farmer said the roller door was caved in and the house fence was wrecked.

“I am about to go down there to help them clean up,” she said.

Ms Farmer said this was only the beginning of Tiffany’s impact, with the damage recorded before the cyclone reached Katherine.

Katherine residents reported trees were knocked down on Wednesday morning by storms before the arrival of Cyclone Tiffany, on January 12. Picture: Contributed

“(We’re) preparing for the cyclone now,” she said.

A flood watch has been issued for the North West and Carpentaria Coastal Rivers, which include Lower Daly River, Daly River above Douglas River, Katherine River, Walker River, Groote Eylandt, Waterhouse River, Roper River and Towns River.

Originally published as BoM issues second flood watch for Western and Tanami Desert area