CROCODILES INVADE TOWNS SWAMPED BY TROPICAL RAINS

 

Northern Territory floods: woman dies, hundreds evacuated and saltwater crocs in town 

A woman has died after her car got caught in Northern Territory floods that have forced the evacuation of hundreds of people and brought saltwater crocodiles into remote communities.
Emergency services have warned a renewed peak of flood levels in the area is expected, and urged people still in the area to “seriously reconsider their situation.”
A police helicopter spotted the vehicle in floodwaters about 4km from the remote Beswick community, east of Katherine, on Sunday night. It is believed the elderly woman was one of five people in the car.


“This is the second person who has been washed away in a flooded creek since Christmas,” the NT’s police, fire and emergency commander Bruce Porter said.
“Again I urge people to avoid taking unnecessary risks on the roads and avoid driving into floodways.”
Hopes were fading in the search for a 28-year-old man missing from Peppimenarti since Christmas Day. Heavy rain in the region is hampering the search.
Residents of the remote Nauiyu community – also known as Daly River – reported saltwater crocodiles had made their way into town in the floodwaters. The crocodiles were seen on the local football field and the NT News reported one had been seen taking two dogs.

 Stuart Brisbane, owner-operator of the Daly River Barra Resort, said he had seen a large croc “swimming past the paddock about 50-80 metres away” from the resort.


Almost 470 people have been evacuated by helicopter from Nauiyu since an evacuation order was issued on Boxing Day. They were transported more than 150km to Batchelor where an evacuation centre had been established, before being bussed to Darwin.
Nauiyu resident Nadine Maloney told the ABC adults took turns watching the water rise overnight as it approached the doorstops of houses.
The flood levels reached almost 15m and were appearing to recede according to one local resident, but emergency services have since warned a renewed flood peak above current levels is expected in the area.
“It is not improbable that the river will rise into the mid 15 metre height,” Porter advised.


“Any remaining residents in the Daly River community area need to be aware of this possible height and need to seriously consider their situation. If you are going to be at risk you need to consider your options immediately.”
Brisbane said the flood was the second highest of the three he had experienced in the 10 years he had lived there.
“We normally like floods because the bigger the wet the better the fishing’s going to be,” said Brisbane, who had not been evacuated.
Brisbane’s family home and the fishing resort’s holiday accommodation sit on high ground and the water had not reached any buildings, but they were cut off from all road access, he told Guardian Australia.