Arabic version: سكان نهر دالي يواجهون التهجير بعد الفيضانات الشديدة

Daly River resident James Parry has been living at a Darwin evacuation centre after his community flooded for the second time this year. According to ABC News, evacuees have expressed heartbreak over losing their homes and belongings during the floods.

The remote community of Daly River, also known as Nauiyu, has experienced its worst flooding on record, with water levels reaching 16.26 metres last Friday. This has forced the evacuation of the community’s 350 residents to Darwin, located 220 kilometres away, for the second time in as many months.

Local resident Salisha Kerr described the situation as overwhelming, noting that many were unprepared for the rapid rise in water levels. “The week before it all happened, we could see the water was coming in, but there was no indication that it was going to come up so quickly,” she said. Many residents lost everything they had worked for, and video footage showed homes submerged to their roofs.

Parry, who has experienced several natural disasters, reported that evacuees at the centre were distressed when shown footage of their submerged homes. He also highlighted safety concerns, stating that some evacuees felt unsafe and had faced racism in Darwin. An incident involving threats with a samurai sword further escalated these fears.

Despite the challenges, Kerr emphasized the community’s resilience, stating, “We’re a small community and I know that we’ll pull together and help each other out.” With more rain forecasted and houses still submerged, it remains uncertain when residents will be able to return home.