Scores shelter from flash floods in Central Australia

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Weather News - Uluru national park closed, scores shelter from flash floods in Central Australia

Uluru national park closed, scores shelter from flash floods in Central Australia
Neda Vanovac, Monday December 26, 2016 - 19:12 EDT


Waterfalls run down Uluru after unusually heavy rain in Central Australia. - ABC licensed

A massive Christmas night storm and heavy rain that has sparked damaging flash floods in Central Australia is being described as a once-in-a-half-century weather event by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

A quarter of the community of Kintore was evacuated after it was drenched by 232mm of rain in the 24 hours since 9:00am yesterday â?? taking the December total to a record 373.4mm.

61.4mm fell from 8:00pm to 9:00pm on Christmas night alone, which BOM labelled a one-in-50-year rainfall event.



Northern Territory police said it had caused significant flash flooding woes for the 400 people living in Kintore, which is located about 520km west of Alice Springs near the Western Australia border.

"There's a significant number of houses that have been affected by flooding in some capacity," said Acting Superintendent Pauline Vicary.



She said 20 to 25 homes were flooded, fences on other properties were damaged and cars were submerged.

"We're estimating about 40 per cent of the houses in Kintore have had some sort of damage as a result of the flooding," she said.

96 people were taken to an emergency evacuation point at the local school â?? 85 are still sheltering there but others found accommodation with family and friends.

"Thankfully no one's been injured," Acting Superintendent Vicary said.

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