For nine days to 31 January 2018, an active monsoon trough delivered high rainfall across the Northern Territory’s Top End, causing telephone outages and power blackouts, and sweeping cars off roads. On Sunday 28 January, some locations in the territory had their highest January daily rainfall on record, and major flooding occurred in the Daly River catchment.
On 29 January, the Bureau of Meteorology (the Bureau) issued a major flood warning for the Daly River; the Northern Territory Emergency Management Committee declared an emergency. The Daly River community of Nauiyu, 220 kilometres south of Darwin, was under particular threat. Nauiyu residents had been on standby to evacuate since 26 January; following the warning, some residents arrived late on 29 January at an evacuation centre established at the Foskey Pavilion in Darwin.
The following day, 23 helicopters were used to evacuate almost all the remaining 343 residents from Nauiyu to the nearby town of Batchelor. From there they were transported by bus to the evacuation centre in Darwin, where most remained for the following two weeks. The Daly River peaked at 14.58 metres at 4.10pm that afternoon.
More than half (54 per cent) of the houses in Nauiyu were damaged by the floodwaters. Damage was less than in similar, previous floods as early flood warnings from the Bureau had enabled ample time for emergency response planning, and for residents to place whitegoods and other assets above the expected flood level.
Rescue and recovery operations were led by the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services (NTPFES) and the Department of the Chief Minister (DCM). Territory Families and the Australian Red Cross managed the evacuation centre, ensuring the care and welfare of nearly 350 people, including children. A range of other Northern Territory Government agencies and NGOs provided support.
Ongoing collaboration between NTPFES, DCM and the Bureau regarding flood recession supported the early development of plans to return residents to Nauiyu. Evacuees were housed at the evacuation centre until 12 February before returning to Nauiyu, where clean-up operations by local contractors had been underway for several days.
On 1 February, Commonwealth Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Angus Taylor and Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced that the Northern Territory would be eligible for financial assistance under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA), to support affected residents, the evacuation, clean-up operations and repairs to essential public assets.
During the flood event across the Top End, there was a sharp rise in melioidosis cases, a potentially deadly soil-borne disease. The condition can lead to severe pneumonia and blood poisoning; 10-15 per cent of cases are fatal.
No fatalities were reported as a result of the Daly River Flood.