On March 9, Australian Northern Territory officials warned people to stay away from flooded areas as floods spread, as crocodiles could appear in many dangerous locations.
Tropical depressions are causing heavy rain in Northern Australia and Queensland, causing the water level of the Katherine River to peak at 19.2m on the evening of March 7. This is the highest level since the 1998 flood that killed 3 people. The Daly River is also forecast to exceed a 70-year record this week.
Northern Australia is a vast federal territory located in the central and north-central regions of Australia, with the capital being the city of Darwin. This area is facing widespread flooding as prolonged heavy rains.
Commander of the Northern Territory's troubleshooting agency Shaun Gill warned people not to risk going into the water, after information emerged that someone was swimming in the flood area.
Mr. Shaun Gill said that crocodiles can appear everywhere in flood conditions. According to him, the floodwaters are fast and it is also the time when crocodiles are most active, causing the risk to people to increase.
Crocodile populations in Northern Territory are considered the largest in Australia and are among the largest in the world. About 100,000 crocodiles are living in this area, mainly concentrated along large river systems.
Local authorities warn that crocodiles can appear in many unpredictable locations such as creeks, sewers or flooded roads. Authorities recommend that any flooded area may have crocodiles, and call on people to keep children and pets away from water areas.
Floods have forced hundreds of people to evacuate during the weekend. As of the afternoon of March 8, the entire town of Nauiyu, Daly River has been evacuated. About 1,000 people are sheltering in shelters.
To support rescue work, functional forces have mobilized 6 aircraft, 18 helicopters and many boats to participate in evacuation and rescue operations.
Expert Jude Scott of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said that floodwaters on the Daly River are still maintained at a serious level. According to him, this is a large river that is holding a very large amount of water and the water level is expected to continue to rise next week.
Currently, the area is under the cumulative impact of a widespread prolonged rainy season. Flood warnings have also been issued ahead of the heavy rain that is about to pour into the southeastern area of neighboring Queensland.
