Home / Disasters and Accidents / Top End Floods: Hundreds Airlifted as Rivers Hit Major Flood Levels
Top End Floods: Hundreds Airlifted as Rivers Hit Major Flood Levels
7 Mar
Summary
- Hundreds evacuated by air from remote NT communities due to major flooding.
- Katherine town threatened, with levee enacted for the first time.
- Queensland faces widespread minor to moderate flooding and active warnings.
Large-scale evacuations are underway in the Northern Territory's Top End as tropical lows bring severe rainfall and major flooding to the region. Hundreds of people from remote communities, including Daly River (Nauiyu) and Palumpa, are being airlifted to Darwin as floodwaters cut off road access and push rivers to critical levels. The Katherine River has reached major flood levels, with predictions of further rises, leading to the town of Katherine being under threat. For the first time in its history, the town's levee system has been enacted, and flood rescues have been performed overnight.
Meanwhile, significant portions of Queensland are on flood watch, with tropical low 29U tracking southeast. Moderate to locally heavy rainfall is expected across northern and eastern Queensland over the weekend, with widespread minor to moderate flooding anticipated statewide. Major flood warnings are already in effect for several western Queensland rivers, including the Georgina and Thomson rivers. The escalating extreme weather events underscore Australia's increasing vulnerability to natural disasters, amplified by climate change.
