Western Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services has warned residents major flooding was expected to continue. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Record flooding is causing havoc across the Kimberley, Western Australia, as residents in Fitzroy Crossing flee to higher ground while authorities warn many communities could be cut off for a week.
Bureau of Meteorology community information officer Patch Clapp said the Fitzroy River reached its highest level on record at Fitzroy Crossing this morning, hitting 15.09 metres at 10am.
The previous record was 13.95m in 2002.
"The major flood warning is still current for the Fitzroy River at Fitzroy Crossing and as upstream floodwaters arrive, we could see further rises through Tuesday afternoon," he said.
Fitzroy Crossing resident Natalie Davey fled her house this morning and was shocked at how quickly the water rose.
"We're quite close to the river and the water kept coming up," she said.
"Our house is on a mound; we're about 50m away from the river bank.
"It's quite terrifying when you see that amount of water just rising.
"We've got creeks around us so we had water coming in from every single side."
Geoff Davis owns two properties near the Fitzroy Crossing townsite. He said one had gone two metres underwater since the night before.
"The New South Wales experience … has resonated a fair bit with us," he said.
"You can hear the water gurgling underneath the house, and when you see your fridge start to float past you and you can almost reach out and touch it, it sparks the anxiety even though we are safe."
Business owners count the cost
Houses in Fitzroy Crossing are typically built for floodwaters with many on stilts, but some low-lying parts of the town are now underwater.
"There is 400 millimetres underneath my feet, and the Fitzroy River is flowing quite rapidly underneath our house," Davis said.
"There's that fear factor of how far will it come? Will it stop? What if it doesn't?"
Davis said his son, Tristan, who owned a small landscaping business in town, had likely lost around A$25,000 (NZ$27,000) worth of equipment in the waters already.
Jamal McCarthy is checking on relatives by boat on the outlying properties around Fitzroy Crossing.
"We've been scrambling trying to check on people, and we've given a few people a lift into town already this morning," he said.
McCarthy said he was out late into last night surveying the damage around town and was even able to drive his boat up to the town's main pub.
"The water is up to the main shopping centre steps, it's hard to describe, everyone's pretty on edge - and in my lifetime, I haven't seen anything like this up here."
Huge rainfall totals swamp region
Western Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services has warned residents major flooding was expected to continue Tuesday and Wednesday, with some communities expected to be isolated for a week.
Widespread rainfall totals of 200 to 500mm have fallen across the region since the start of the weekend, filling creeks and river systems that typically drain wet season monsoons.
Ex-tropical cyclone Ellie is sitting west of Halls Creek and is expected to move slowly westward in the coming days towards Broome.
It is understood emergency services will attempt to send aircraft to the town throughout today and tomorrow for supply drops and to evacuate people sheltering at the Fitzroy Lodge.
Flood rescue boats are being used to ferry residents and assess damage.
There have also been reports of damage to the local sewerage treatment plant and stock losses.
Some residents at Darlngunaya, a small community near the low-lying Geikie Gorge, have been evacuated.
The Department of Communities has set up an evacuation centre at Fitzroy Crossing Recreation Centre.
The Great Northern Highway remains closed from Willare through to Halls Creek, while numerous local roads are also shut.
- ABC