CDRC has good rain but roads/airstrips closed

 Lhere Mparntwe (Todd River) is flowing after a good amount of rain fell in Alice Springs.

Good rain has fallen on the Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) communities as well. North of Alice Springs, the rain is steady and there are sporadic parts where there is water over the Stuart Highway (with a gentle current – for now) from approximately 2 kms before the Laramba turnoff, until Aileron. The Tanami road has been closed due to flooding.

Main photo: the Tanami Highway.

The Nyirripi road is closed and in Nyirripi the phones are not working and large parts of the community are under water, including roads and the football oval.

Rain over the roads in Nyirripi.

All Yuelamu access roads are closed due to the rain over the past two days with more forecasted until 25 December. Also closed is the Yuelamu Clinic as they are on call from Yuendumu clinic over the Christmas period. Yuelamu airstrip, rubbish collection and Power and Water staff are also not available due to this weather system.

Rain over the road out of Yuelamu.

All Engawala access roads are now closed due to heavy rain falls over the past two days with more forecasted for at least the next two days. Engawala airstrip is also closed until further notice.

Locals enjoying the floods in Engawala.

The Mt Dennison to Willowra road is closed and the road from Willowra to Stuart Highway is unpassable due to the heavy rain we had in the last few days. Lander River is predicted to soon be flooded.

Atitjere has had steady rain and the creeks are flowing on the Plenty highway but are not an issue to traffic. “We have been getting a good soaking rain,” said Scott Pinchbeck, Community Safety Patrol Team Leader for Atitjere. The Plenty Highway is closed between Dneipier Intersection and the Queensland Border due to flooding.

The freight truck got in early on the morning of 22 December to get in Christmas supplies to Lajamanu. “The rain is a continuous heavy drizzle that occasionally turns into heavy rain,” said Community Services Manager Heather Smith.

Hooker Creek at Lajamanu.

Laramba has been cut off due to closed roads and the Napperby River flowing. “The two sides of the river are flowing and it’s still raining,” said Billy Briscoe, acting Community Services Coordinator. “It’s good for country. Lots of green grass coming up,” he added.

But some of the houses have been flooded with water in Laramba.

One of the flooded houses in Laramba.

Yuendumu has had several days of persistent rain.  Monday morning early was torrential resulting in the flooding of roads.  The airstrip was closed for almost 24 hours but re-opened the morning of 22 December.

The levy bank breaching on the south side of Yuendumu – there are houses on the right of the photo but the flood water had not penetrated them.