See the stunning images of heroic truck drivers navigating through endless flood waters after towns were left without food or life-saving supplies.
- The Kimberley region of Western Australia was hit by the worst flooding in history
- Freight trucks carrying supplies encountered flood waters in Roebuck Plains, Washington
- The record-breaking deluge was caused by rains from the previous Hurricane Eli
Extraordinary photos have emerged showing “heroic” truck drivers navigating through floodwaters to bring food and supplies to towns cut off by once-in-a-century floods.
Remote communities in northwest Australia are still reeling from the chaos caused by Tropical Cyclone Eli after torrential rains drenched remote road networks.
The Kimberley region experienced its worst flooding in history as endless rainfall raised the Fitzroy River to an all-time high and flooded the Fitzroy Bridge causing it to collapse.
Meanwhile, remote communities in the North Central Region have been cut off by flooding after former TC Elli U returns to the state.
Western Australian Senator Glenn Stirle posted images on Twitter on Wednesday showing truck drivers crossing the flooded plains of Roebuck while delivering food and supplies to Broome.
Freight trucks carrying food and medical supplies run through floodwaters in Roebuck Plain, Western Australia (pictured)
Trucks bound for Broome (pictured) carry a restricted pass and carry essential supplies to areas cut off by floodwaters. The supplies would then be flown to isolated communities, where road access is not available
“Amazing footage of Broome freight bound across the flooded plains of Roebuck under strict major road clearances,” Mr. Stirl wrote.
“Thank you to all of the emergency support staff, transport workers and people on the ground helping with the recovery efforts in Kimberley.”
One user rated the truck drivers as “heroes,” while another commented, “Amazing was an understatement.”
Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Clem said more than 110,000 kilograms of food was expected to arrive on boats in Broome on Wednesday.
Additional supplies will come in by truck, on restricted road permits, Mr. Klemm said, and will later be taken to communities without access roads.
“This will allow us to bring additional supplies through the Haj, and more than 20 aircraft are stationed in the Kimberley to expedite resupply efforts,” said Mr. Klemm.
About 200 Australian Defense Force personnel are providing assistance on the ground across the region, with emergency services receiving more than 60 requests for assistance since Monday afternoon.
Former Tropical Cyclone Ellie was declared Dec. 22 as it formed off the northern Kimberley coast causing catastrophic rain (pictured, flooding at Fitzroy Crossing)
The Fitzroy Crossing Bridge, the area’s arterial thoroughfare, collapsed after unprecedented rains flooded the river and damaged the bridge’s structure (pictured)
More than 280 people were forced to evacuate their homes while at least 100 homes were damaged in and around Fitzroy Crossing.
More than 60 major road inspectors arrived on Wednesday to assess damage to local infrastructure, with Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan saying it could take years to repair the collapsed Fitzroy Bridge crossing – the area’s arterial route.
Ex-Cyclone Ellie dumped rainfall between 200mm and 600mm in the area since late December.
Heavy rains caused the Fitzroy River to reach its peak of 15.8m at Fitzroy Crossing on 5 January.
Heavy rains caused the worst flooding in the state’s history. Flooding caused the Fitzroy River to peak at 15.8m and inland, measuring 50km at its widest point, (pictured, aerial photos showing the extent of the Fitzroy River flooding)
At its peak, the Fitzroy River held enough water to meet Perth’s water needs for 20 years. The river is 50 kilometers wide at its widest point, although the water level is low.
The state and federal governments issued recovery aid to flood-affected communities on Tuesday.
Flood-affected Australians will be given a grant of up to $10,000 to repair housing and essential household items and can receive a 13-week disaster relief allowance.
Freight subsidies will also be provided to primary producers in flood-affected areas.
