Authorities are urging Top End residents to “get ahead” of a cyclone that could impact the NT’s east coast as early as Saturday, bringing more heavy rain to already-flooded communities and river systems.
Tropical Cyclone Narelle, which is approaching north Queensland, is expected to continue across the Gulf of Carpentaria in coming days before arriving on the NT coast somewhere around Groote Eylandt.
At this stage, NT authorities say cyclone preparations are focused on Groote Eylandt and Borroloola.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Shenagh Gamble said while the system was expected to impact Queensland as a category 3 storm, it was too early to say how strong it could be by Saturday.
Shenagh Gamble says it’s too early to tell how strong the system could be once it reaches the NT. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)
“The environment that this [Tropical Cyclone Narelle] is existing in and will move through is quite favourable and conducive to development,” she said.
“It is possible that this system will cross the Northern Territory coast as a severe tropical cyclone, but really that is still a number of days away.
“For now, it’s really just important that the community stays up-to-date with the development of that system.”
Cyclone watch issued with Tropical Cyclone Narelle to form off Qld coast
The BOM has warned rainfall associated with the cyclone could cause river rises in the Daly, Roper and Katherine catchments, but Ms Gamble said renewed flooding in Katherine was not expected at this stage.
NT Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Wharton said the timeframe meant authorities and communities could now “prepare together and get ahead of the system before it arrives.”
“What we’re asking Territorians, particularly in potentially impacted areas, is to take this time to review your emergency plan,” he said.
“Take this time to make sure you’ve got sufficient food, water, pet food if required, medications if required, spare batteries and radio and enough to last 72 hours.”
Commissioner Wharton said he was having discussions with interstate counterparts about possible support for the NT’s frontline responders.
“These are back-to-back compounding concurrent consecutive events within a four-month space and so we’re really grateful for all the assistance we’ve had,” he said.
“We are already looking at what might happen with this system and if it does eventuate the way we think it might, what we might need.”
NT government announces $100 million flood recovery fund
The update came after Northern Territory chief minister Lia Finocchiaro earlier in the day announced a $100 million Flood Recovery Fund, sourced from the NT budget.
Ms Finocchiaro said the money would be used to “build back better” infrastructure that had been “damaged by the widespread flooding that we’ve seen right across the Northern Territory”.
“Some of the things that will be considered, of course, are around roads … Darwin River Dam pump station was inundated, cutting off water supply, ” she said.
The flooding in Katherine this month was its worst in 28 years. (Supplied: Bec Beaumont)
“Feedback we got out of Katherine from this flooding event was that the [flood] levee was working really well and so can we make that levee higher, stronger and work even better into the future.
“These are all the types of infrastructure projects that are on the table.”
The funding will be administered by experienced public sector worker Ken Davies, who has been appointed the program’s director-general, with the Member for Katherine Jo Hersey to be the minister responsible for the fund.
Mrs Finocchiaro said the pair would be “out on the ground” to assess the situation and make decisions about how to prioritise the funding.
Speaking to the ABC in Katherine, Mr Davies said he and Mrs Hersey would be working with community members and stakeholders to determine funding for critical infrastructure repairs and improvements.
“We need a plan, and we want to make sure we spend the money wisely,” he said.
“This is a big opportunity to future-proof the area and the region, in terms of future flooding events.”
Yesterday, Mrs Finocchiaro and Treasurer Bill Yan travelled to Canberra to meet with several federal ministers to discuss flood recovery funding for the territory.
Speaking to the media today, the chief minister said the goal of that visit was to keep the territory “front and centre in the minds of the federal government as they move into that budget process”.
“So what we’ve done yesterday was lay the groundwork; the door is open and they are very, very willing to work with us,” Mrs Finocchiaro said.
She added that while none of the $100 million funding announced today was federal money, the Commonwealth was providing a “50-50 contribution” for disaster relief assistance payments.
Beswick experienced major flooding last week. (Supplied)
Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley said the communities of Katherine, Beswick and Jilkminggan had now all moved from the “response to recovery” stage.
“These situations now are in recovery mode, where the rest of the Northern Territory is still under the emergency operation centre and in [the] response phase,” Mr Maley said.
SecureNT has since issued a new flood advice alert for Katherine and Nitmiluk, saying the Katherine River peaked just below minor flood level overnight and there is further rainfall forecast for the region.
Wet weather warnings for Alice Springs
NT Fire and Emergency Services (NTFES) issued a flood advice alert for Alice Springs at 10am today, warning the Todd River had risen overnight in response to “high intensity rainfall” and with more rain forecast.
At 7am, the Todd River at Alice Springs’s Anzac Oval gauge was sitting at 2.96 metres and rising — above the minor flood level of 2.6m — but levels have since receded to about 2m and are continuing to fall.
The usually dry Todd River is flowing in Alice Springs. (ABC News: Will Green)
However, a flood watch and act alert was issued for Alice Springs this afternoon, advising residents to monitor conditions.
In its statement, NTFES said after rain overnight and through much of the day, if 40 millimetres fell “over the entire catchment” in a two-hour period, the Todd River at Anzac Oval could rise to 2.9m by 10pm.
The BOM is forecasting a medium chance of rain for the town, with a likely thunderstorm — “possibly severe with heavy rain, which may lead to flash flooding”.
Rob Harley, a Sydney resident visiting Alice Springs, said it was remarkable to see the Todd River flowing and the landscape so “stunningly green”.
Rob Harley says it’s beautiful to see Alice Springs so green, but he’s worried that river rises could lead to road closures. (ABC News: Victoria Ellis)
However, he said he was concerned about whether he would be able to complete the next leg of his journey up the Stuart Highway.
“At the moment that road to Kununurra is blocked. Are we going to drive 1,000 kilometres and find we’re stuck?,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alice Springs resident Terazitah Turner-Young said she was excited to see the river flowing.
Terazitah Turner-Young says it’s the first time she’s seen the river flowing with so much force. (ABC News)
“We’re from here, we’re Arrernte people, and it’s amazing to see country coming alive and come nice and green,” she said.
Northern Territory Police Superintendent Rob Griffiths reminded residents not to drive, walk or swim in floodwaters.
“We’ve got … a vehicle that has been washed away that was trying to cross flooded water just this morning, that’s really disappointing,” he said.