Around 20 remote community residents are still sleeping on a basketball court days after being evacuated from their homes due to flooding in the Northern Territory, as the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) predicts more rain to come for the region.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie dumped almost 250mm of rain on Timber Creek, near the Western Australian border, on Friday and Saturday in what emergency services described as a "one in a 50-year rain event".
"Four or five houses would have been pretty much inundated with water," Victoria Daly Region Mayor Brian Pedwell said.
Mr Pedwell said the nearby Myatt and One Mile communities — where about 80 people live — had to be evacuated on Friday to the basketball court in Timber Creek.
"That's not really adequate for all the evacuees from two communities," he said.
"They had little to nothing."
He said on Monday morning that around 20 people were still sleeping rough on the basketball court, despite Chief Minister Natasha Fyles saying at a press conference on Friday that evacuees had begun returning home.
"They've got no water supply, all of that was under water," he said.
"There’s the issue of sewerage as well.
"You can't go back home when there's no water, you can't even clean your house out."
During the flooding, a number of rescues had to be carried out, including one woman whose car became submerged in floodwater.
According to Mr Pedwell, six children who were stranded in a car also had to be rescued by a resident of Myatt community.
Concern for communities as BOM predicts more rain
Meteorologist with the BOM Moses Raico said the ex-tropical cyclone was currently passing over the Barkly region, but would likely be moving back over the Gregory and Northern Tanami region later this week, before moving into northern WA.
Mr Raico said the BOM is predicting falls of up to 40mm per day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with more flooding expected in areas like Timber Creek as a result.
"That's [the flood watch] still current as well, it impacts a fairly big area of the central parts of the NT," he said.
"And that's probably going to remain as that low continues to persist in the area and then just starts to push to the north-west."
Mr Pedwell said he was concerned about the impact of more flooding on the region, especially on other remote communities south of Timber Creek.
"My other two communities I'm concerned with are Kalkarindji and Pigeon Hole," he said.
"Pigeon Hole is my main concern because there’s little communication. They get pretty stranded there."
He said was he still waiting to hear from the NT government about next steps.
"I'm trying to put into place all those things — food, water, blankets, sheets," Mr Pedwell said.
"I thank my staff...they've done everything they can to keep families at the [evacuation centre] fed and housed the best they could with the limited staff they have."
Defence accommodation to be opened for evacuees
Member for Barkly Steve Edgington said his region had been experiencing "heavy and constant" rain and several roads had been cut off, but there had not been any need for evacuations yet.
He said he was "concerned" to hear about a lack of government staff on the ground in Timber Creek.
"I would encourage the government to get people on the ground there as quickly as possible."
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the NT government "remains stood up to assist Territorians with flooding which is occurring across the territory".
"Formal Impact Assessments are being completed to determine which homes are safe for reoccupation. We are expecting access to defence accommodation today," she said.
"Displaced residents in Timber Creek have been provided with welfare support by way of meals with longer term accommodation arrangements being progressed for those who cannot return home at this time."
She said the government had signed an emergency declaration over the flooding and a boil water alert had been issued for the region.
"Road access into the community is still cut off, however we are supporting these residents," she said.
