Monsoon flooding continues in NT and WA
The tropical monsoon season hitting NT and WA continues, with Nitjpurru Community Store flooded this week (see photo, circled). The entire community of Pigeon Hole has evacuated, with store manager Ragu one of the last to be air-lifted out on Wednesday in a cattle-mustering chopper! Big shout-out to Ragu for helping the community until the very last minute.
Pigeon Hole joins a long list of communities we service that are currently closed to road deliveries due to flooding: Bulman, Ngukurr, Urapunga, Daly River and Amanbidji in the NT; also Noonkanbah, Mulan and Ringer Soak in WA. Big thanks to our resilient store managers in those communities affected by floodwater, some of which have been cut off since mid-December.
Each November Outback Stores starts stockpiling non-perishable food in preparation for the monsoon season. All stores we service affected by this year’s floodwaters are currently stocked with essentials, and receiving regular air deliveries of fresh food, thanks to help from Chartair, Katherine Aviation, the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services and Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA.
Photos
Top: NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services helping deliver food to Nauiyu Community Store
Bottom: The furthest freight can get to Nauiyu via road.