1998 Katherine Flood Northern Territory Australia
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If you have arrived here looking for current info on the Katherine River, try here for the Katherine Internet Start Page  or the previous 2006 Katherine Flood Information Page if you are looking for April 2006 info. 10 Years on in January 2008 Aerial photo of the Katherine Central Business District 1998

A time to remember and a time many wish to forget. In 1998 Tropical Cyclone Les was out in the Gulf of Carpentaria moving in a Westerly direction carrying and conjuring up devastating payload (we only had 3 hourly satellite images on the web back then, no radar loops etc and not too many people had internet access outside of work) (Ahhh the good old days, no RSI).

Evacuation by trusty canoe
 

A stark reminder along the Gorge road
(now gone)

Katherine South

Satellite Images of Tropical Cyclone Les as
it starts in the Gulf of Carpentaria and crosses the Top End. It depicts an ordinary looking tropical rain depression. Images over the last 10 days of January 1998.
Start on 21st January - 30th Jan 1998.
Endlessly looping.
 

By the time I had a roll of film posted to me, most of these cars that would of
filled the foreground photo , had been shipped out of the car graveyard.
(there were several of these "dumping" points)
Our first survival mail with some cash in it was posted from Alice Springs
but went missing & never arrived.
Thankyou to the lady who sent the $50 that we never received.

1998 Katherine Oasis Shopping Centre & next to it with the yellow roof the YMCA
which became the new Woolies during the cleanout & rebuild over the following months.
 

A special mention goes to the Tindal RAAF personnel who methodically went from building to building emptying them of debris & decay. There was alot of dry retching going on in some buildings like Woolies.

Many people waited on their roofs
 

Nothing worse than thinking the floodwater has stopped rising and you think the worst is over. Then after evacuation of home the water level rises above your benches /door handles where you had stored your stuff.
 

Peoples yards were full of flood damaged belongings.
This was here for weeks (our place), as it is so much easier to help someone else clean up, instead of doing your own place. I slapped myself around and got things moving eventually.

Its playing right now !
To get the "not so wet shot" I needed a ladder & several attempts to get the best
angle shot in the middle of the Intersection without being run over.
Johnnys is still going, with many people from all over Australia waiting until they get here to purchase a sat dish for their caravan