Stuart Hwy reopens for three hours before flood damage forces more closures
( source: NT News )
The Stuart Hwy has again been shut to traffic just three hours after it reopened to allow freight trucks through to the Top End.
About 6.40pm on Sunday SecureNT announced the immediate closure of 600km of road south of Daly Waters.
“The Stuart Highway on the southern side of the Carpentaria Highway intersection has been immediately closed due to damage to the road surface which cannot be repaired in the heavy rain currently falling,” the update said.
“Work will continue through the night, with periodic closures likely throughout Monday.”
As of Monday morning about 45km of the highway remained closed south of the Carpentaria Hwy intersection.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology cancelled a severe weather warning that had been in place for people in the Gregory and Tanami districts, as the tropical low moved across the border into Western Australia overnight.
A flood warning for the Victoria River, a moderate flood warning for the Daly River and a flood watch for the North West and parts of Central NT remain in place.
Stuart Hwy reopens for supply trucks as fresh food stocks run low
January 21: The Stuart Hwy has reopened for four-wheel-drive and heavy vehicles, allowing fresh fruits and vegetables to make their way back to Top End supermarkets.
Shoppers were met with bare shelves across Darwin on Sunday after widespread flooding shut down much of the Stuart Hwy between Katherine and the Devils Marbles on Friday.
Chief Minister Eva Lawler announced the road had reopened about 4pm on Sunday.
“Smaller vehicles are not permitted to travel between Renner Springs and Threeways Roadhouse due to water over road in various locations,” she said.
“Please drive with caution and follow all traffic directions.
“The trucks are loaded in Alice ready to head to Darwin with perishables to restock supermarkets.”
Emergency warning issued as Victoria River nears record flood levels:
Earlier, January 21: SecureNT has issued an Emergency Warning for Kalkarindji and a Watch and Act notice for people near the Victoria River, as flood waters approach 1991 record levels.
Providing an update at midday Sunday Chief Minister Eva Lawler said an emergency declaration had been issued for Pigeon Hole, Daguragu, Kalkarindji, Yarralin, and Timber Creek.
“We have already evacuated 20 Pigeon Hole residents to the Batten Road facility here in Darwin,” Ms Lawler said.
“Evacuations are currently not needed for Daguragu, Kalkarindji, Yarralin and Timber Creek, however we are planning with the Defence Force in case this is needed.”
Ms Lawler was due to fly out to Japan to reaffirm the Territory’s relationship with major gas investors, however she postponed the trip as the emergency weather event continued to develop.
“What we are currently seeing is a severe Weather Warning for heavy, locally intense rainfall for people in Gregory and parts of Carpentaria, Barkly and Tanami districts,” she said.
“Road and rail access is currently limited. The Stuart Highway is closed and we are working to get it opened as soon as possible and Aurizon are doing the same with the rail.”
As many supermarket shelves run dry of fresh fruits and vegetables, Ms Lawler said she had been assured by major supermarkets there were significant non-perishable supplies of dry and frozen foods in anticipation of weather events.
“If the road network remains closed, contingencies including alternative transportation methods or routes will be considered,” she said.
“Our remote community stores also have stock, however we are planning on getting supplies to those areas too.”
The Kalkarindji community along the Upper Victoria River have been warned to take immediate action to shelter indoors until given the clear by authorities, being told it was too dangerous to travel.
On Sunday the river at Kalkarindji was at 11.6m and rising.
It was expected to remain above the moderate flood level through Sunday, with further rises and higher levels possible up to the major flood level on Sunday night and into Monday as areas of heavy rainfall continue across the catchment.
Households along the Victoria River have also been told to enact their emergency plans as areas of heavy to intense rain are expected to continue across the catchment during the next few days.
The Victoria River at the Victoria Highway Crossing was 24.15m and rising on Sunday.
A Severe Weather Warning for heavy, locally intense rainfall was current for Gregory and parts of the Barkly, Tanami and Carpentaria districts.
Supply trucks stranded as major highways cut off by flooding
Earlier, January 21: Movement of people and supplies is at a standstill in many parts of the Territory as flooding continues to cut off key access roads.
On Sunday morning 535km of the Stuart Hwy north of Tennant Creek was closed, along with a 100km stretch of the highway south of the town.
Tennant Creek Local David Curtis said several trucks were stranded in the town and had been waiting at the edge of the floodwaters for days.
“Some of them are sleeping in their trucks,” he said.
“Some of them have got food and perishables on board so they need to get through or we’ll start to notice it in the supermarkets.”
Fruit and vegetable shelves were already sitting bare in some Top End stores.
Almost the entire Victoria Hwy from the Western Australia border to Katherine was closed on Sunday morning.
About 20 truck drivers and tourists had been stuck at the Victoria River Roadhouse, which was inundated with floodwaters on Saturday.
One of the truckers sheltering at the roadhouse, Tony Henwood, did not know when they would be able to move on – but did not expect it to be any time soon.
“That’s the million dollar question,” he said on Friday, when floodwaters were still 50m from the roadhouse doors.
“It’s come up slowly so that usually means it’ll go down slowly too. I’ve been stuck here for three weeks before.”
The truck drivers were used to it, he said, and knew all you could do was wait it out, “sit around, and talk”.
Staff at the roadhouse had been rationing food to make sure there was enough to go around.
“It’s the tourists who are a bit more agitated – they’ve got important places to be,” Mr Henwood said.
“Watching people getting choppered in for being stupid and trying to drive through floodwaters, that’s what annoys us.”
