As officials continue to deal with the effects of the former Tropical Cyclone Ellie, the Australian Defense Force (ADF) will assist in the evacuation of civilians from the central Kimberley.
Five hours east of Broome, in the town of Fitzroy Crossing, record-breaking floods from the system damaged the main arterial bridge, numerous residences, and resulted in significant stock losses at surrounding cattle stations.
The town’s leisure center has been set up as an evacuation center for citizens escaping the rising water levels, and authorities are coordinating boat and helicopter evacuations.
Murray Watt, the federal minister for emergency management, said that ADF personnel and planes would transport inhabitants of Fitzroy Crossing and the nearby communities to Broome.
According to WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm, his organization is collaborating with the ADF to rehouse Fitzroy Crossing people who need to be evacuated.
He stated, “Two C130 Hercules airplanes will be available tomorrow.
However, getting to airports is becoming increasingly difficult due to weather and water.
Nandi Chinna’s house is still in Fitzroy Crossing, but it’s higher up in the middle of the community.
Anyone who has a boat has been out assisting, and the SES is also out assisting, she said.
“Yesterday, we brought some dry clothing to the evacuation center, where there are many makeshift cots and beds. They have some refrigerators, food, coffee, and tea.
“Just preparing a cake to deliver there. Because a lot more people would have arrived yesterday night, I’ll be heading down a little later to see how things stand today.
“Helicopters are present constantly. It was like a battle zone yesterday.”
Steve Longo, superintendent of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, stated that the Fitzroy Crossing Recreation Centre was fully utilized as an evacuation location.
I think between 70 and 100 people,” he stated.
“We will need to look at finding other evacuation centers in other locations since the recreation center is currently almost at capacity.
“Our priority list for ensuring human welfare includes food. Over the next two days, we will work to transport food from the East Kimberley in as needed.”
Despite this, all Fitzroy Crossing residents, according to Superintendent Longo, were secure.
To the best of my knowledge, everyone is present; teams have been working diligently over the previous three days to guarantee everyone’s safety.
“The safety of everyone is our top priority, and we are undoubtedly in the response phase.
“Our next worries are Noonkanbah and Willare; we are advising residents in those villages to move to higher ground.”
Rex O’Rourke, Regional Director for WA Country Health Service locations, stated that although emergency response protocols had been activated, all hospitals and clinics in the area were still open.
In order to ensure their safety, he stated, “We have transferred high-risk patients from Fitzroy to Broome and are working very closely with professionals on the ground.”
All of our locations, including Fitzroy Crossing, are still open and well-stocked with medications and other supplies.
Rainstorms in West Kimberley and Broome
The tropical low is heading west, and it has dumped a lot of rain overnight in Derby and Broome.
Patch Clapp, a community information officer at the Bureau of Meteorology, warned that floods may occur today in the West Kimberley.
The low has stopped east of Broome after moving westward a little more quickly than anticipated during the course of the night, he added.
“There are destructive wind gusts and extremely strong winds.
“Through today, there may be a few isolated falls of up to 200 millimeters, which could cause hazardous flash flooding in the West Kimberley. Extreme winds are present, especially on the Dampier Peninsula.”
All flights into and out of the Kimberley town were canceled for Wednesday, according to Craig Shaw, chief executive of Broome International Airport. The situation will be reviewed on Thursday.
Bridges and other forms of infrastructure, including as roads, have sustained substantial damage as a result of flooding throughout the Kimberley.
The Fitzroy Bridge was still there but has damage, said to Peter Sewell, operations director for Main Roads Western Australia.
Floodwaters surround the Crossing Inn bar in Fitzroy Crossing, with the water level almost reaching the top.
There is a failure in piers 2 and 3, he added, adding that until the water recedes, we can’t get close to the building.
“We have structural engineers in Perth waiting to fly out early the following week. I’ve worked for Main Roads for almost 50 years, and I’ve never seen that level (15.6m).”
Mr. Sewell claimed that the Willare Bridge was also under observation.
We are also a little concerned about the bridge downstream at Willare, he added.
“It is three meters below deck level as of this morning. We are modeling hydraulic systems and anticipate that it will also be high. Although we are unsure if it will fall beneath, it is obvious that it will go very nearly to the top of that bridge.”
Between Broome and Derby, Mr. Sewell predicted that Cape Leveque Road and the Great Northern Highway will likely be blocked on Wednesday afternoon.
“Those two roads will definitely close at some point today.”
During the rainy season, flooding along the Great Northern Highway frequently causes traffic delays, but damage to the Fitzroy Bridge could cut off areas of the central and eastern Kimberley from the rest of Western Australia for weeks.
Alternative plans are being devised, according to Western Transport Federation chief executive Cam Dumesny, to keep grocery shelves stocked throughout the north.
The IGAs, Coles, and Woolworths, he noted, “are typically quite swift on shifting their supply chains.”
“They may possibly supply out of Darwin or Adelaide.
It would likely take Port Augusta, Katherine, and that route into the east Kimberley to supply from Perth.
Flooding during the rainy season in other regions of northern Australia, according to Mr. Dumesny, would make changing supply lines more difficult.
“The Victoria Highway via Timber Creek has certainly been damaged as well. Damage has been done to the Stuart Highway. Flooding has affected the Barkly Highway “says he.
“We need to take action to strengthen the climate resilience of our supply networks.”
