NT: Crossin stunned by Katherine floods

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2006
NT: Crossin stunned by Katherine floods

DARWIN, April 6 AAP - Labor Senator Trish Crossin says she's never seen floods like
those that have swamped Katherine in the Northern Territory.

Residents are evacuating homes in Katherine's north, south and centre as floodwaters
from the swollen Katherine River seep into town.

At 1.30pm (CST), the river was 18.77 metres high, and slowly rising, the Bureau of
Meteorology said.

Senator Crossin, who became stranded in the town during a regional tour, estimated
that water was covering about a quarter of the town.

She said the area around the Tourist Information Centre was about 1.5 metres underwater.

"I've never seen water like this in my life," she said.

"It's a huge body of water (in the river) and it's fiercely strong."

She said she had visited one of the evacuation centres at MacFarlane Primary School.

"Mainly there is quite a number of indigenous people that have come into town to shop,
or for supplies, and who like me have got stuck here," Senator Crossin said.

"They are basically camped up at the school now because it's a place where they can
get some food, and there are showers and toilets."

Red Cross workers had told her people were still traumatised from the 1998 floods,
which devastated the town and killed four people.

AAP km/tnf

KEYWORD: FLOOD NT CROSSIN

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