1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: Plenty of messages coming through this morning about the weather. 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: I got one from one of my mates and she 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: said that she thinks that they had about one hundred 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: and sixty mills at Lake Bennish overnight. She said that 5 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: the lake went up to many homes, but not like 6 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: the other week where they'd seen it at one of 7 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: the highest points that they had. They had no power, 8 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: no telecommunications, etc. But back online now and the causeway 9 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: still passable under zero point four zero. And she did 10 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: say that she was fishing off her balcony this morning 11 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: at three am. Now I'm not sure if she wants 12 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 1: me to name her, so I won't name her, But 13 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: that friend clearly making the most of the flooding. Now, 14 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: plenty of people were really pretty concerned, I think you'd 15 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:43,639 Speaker 1: have to say, over the last twenty four hours or so, 16 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: particularly in Catherine, wondering exactly how high the river level 17 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 1: was going to rise. Now we know that the mayor 18 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: Joanna Holden joining us on the show a bit earlier 19 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: this morning and saying that really they are holding their 20 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: breadths until Wednesday. Joining us on the line is ABC 21 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: reporter Olivana Lothoris. Good morning to you. 22 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 2: Ollie Hey, Katie, Ollie. 23 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: You've been traveling around the Northern Territory over the last 24 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: couple of weeks following the weather. 25 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: I know, I'm like a storm chaser at this point. 26 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:14,759 Speaker 2: Have been like a yo yo back and forth from 27 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 2: Darwin to Catherine. 28 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: That's been relentless, it has and g you feel for 29 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: everybody in the Catherine and Big Rivers region and Adelaide 30 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: River this morning as well. It's been such a tough 31 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: few weeks. 32 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 2: It's been brutal, Katie. I mean, you know, there is 33 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: this sort of two sides of the coin you hear, 34 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: especially that you know, there's just been an incredible amount 35 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 2: of preparation for this sort of second round of flooding. 36 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 2: But yeah, I mean we were speaking to I was 37 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 2: speaking to this, you know, these two moms who were 38 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: here with their eight months old baby, so the second 39 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: time they've had to evacuate their house. They were mopping 40 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 2: up and sand bagging at the same time while managing 41 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: being first parents. I mean, this is the kind of 42 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: thing people are dealing with. So yeah, absolutely goes out 43 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 2: to everyone dealing with big weather at the moment. 44 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: Oh, do you feel for people you know and your 45 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: home being inundated with water. It's scary stuff. And you know, 46 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: looking at at that clean up, but before we sort 47 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: of even consider that clean up, everybody holding their breaths 48 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: to see exactly what the river's going to do. 49 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. You know, we felt a bit of you know, 50 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: hectic weather last night, but then woke up to you know, 51 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 2: pretty dry conditions, which is certainly a relief. But as 52 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 2: you well know, even when the sun's out, it doesn't 53 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 2: mean the risk is over. So the river still climbing up. 54 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 2: But that warning has now gone from a major flood 55 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: warning for the Catherin River to moderate. So it's looking 56 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 2: like we may have dodged sort of a worse flood 57 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 2: than what we had two weeks ago. But as you say, 58 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 2: we still just got to wait and see what the 59 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 2: weather brings. 60 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and Ollie, what a resident saying this morning as 61 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: they sort of you know, as they they feel as 62 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: though hopefully it's not going to be as bad as 63 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: what they'd suspec did. 64 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that is. You know, I think as 65 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 2: you were just saying that, the mayor saying, it's a 66 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 2: holding their breath, and I think that is sort of 67 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 2: the feeling. It's you know, there is a sense that 68 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 2: potentially it's not going to be as bad as what 69 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 2: people expected or as bad as what people prepared for. 70 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 2: But that certainly doesn't mean that, you know, people aren't 71 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 2: still taking precautions because we know how quickly the weather 72 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 2: could change and how quickly that river can come up, 73 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 2: So at this stage people are still just I think, 74 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: taking a sort of putting their feet up for just 75 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: a moment because it was such a hectic couple of days, 76 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 2: and just waiting to see what happens over the next 77 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: twenty four hours. I suppose. 78 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, and Ollie, it does seem as though so much 79 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: preparatory work went in before the weekend. You know, we 80 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: spoke to Professor Len Nataras a little bit earlier on 81 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: the show as well to talk about the OSMAT team 82 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: being down there in Catherine as the hospital was evacuated. 83 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: It's been a real sort of moving feast, hasn't it. 84 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 2: It's been incredible. I think the way one the members 85 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: of Defense described it to me yesterday was ants on 86 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 2: a doughnut, and that's really how it feels down here. 87 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 2: There's just been so many boots on the ground, I mean, 88 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: the trauma response center is a you know, a world 89 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 2: class capability, and to have it, you know, being deployed 90 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: to Catherine, I think has been a real comfort to people. 91 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 2: It's really helped to just see so many resources available 92 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 2: here for people, no matter what this weather system was 93 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 2: going to bring in, which I think has been particularly 94 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 2: important just given what a difficult time people have been 95 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 2: having over the last kind of couple of weeks. 96 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so true, Ollie. I call them the Swiss 97 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: army knife of the health profession or the health world. 98 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: I reckon, You've got to try and work that into 99 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: your story. 100 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 2: Love it. I love it. You're basically writing my scripts 101 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 2: for me at this point, Katie. 102 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: Ollie, you know when you look at like obviously residents 103 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: in Catherine, you know, feeling a little bit more or 104 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 1: slightly more relaxed. I don't want to, you know, I 105 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: put words in their mouths or call it too early, 106 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: because we know it is still a wait and see game. 107 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: Adelaide River this morning not so much. You know, they 108 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: copped an absolute bucket load. The Chief Minister had said, 109 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: more than two hundred mills of rain overnight. 110 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: Absolutely incredible rain totals. I was having a look as well, 111 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: and just some incredible numbers happening right across that northwestern 112 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 2: part of the top end. Daily River is the other one, 113 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: you know, well above one hundred and fifty millimeters. I 114 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:31,679 Speaker 2: was looking at the latest warnings and now it's looking 115 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 2: like there's going to be prolonged flooding above a major 116 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: flood level for the rest of the month, you know, 117 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 2: I mean, just you just can't imagine, you know, how 118 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 2: people must be feeling looking at at those numbers, watching 119 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 2: on from evacuation centers and just wondering when on Earth 120 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 2: this disaster is going to be over, and not just 121 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 2: when the weather stops, but how long the cleanup is 122 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: going to take. So it's such a long road ahead. 123 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, it truly is. And you know, obviously a lot 124 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: of those residents feel very worried, but also some of 125 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: those businesses along Willianna Road as well, speaking to us 126 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: throughout last week and just telling us, you know, the 127 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: damage and that they hadn't even been able to get 128 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: in there to see just how extensive it is at 129 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: the moment. 130 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's been a you know, I mean, definitely 131 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 2: not necessarily the same situation here in Catherine, but certainly 132 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: from a business perspective, that's been a really big thing. 133 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: You know, people haven't had the time to even assess 134 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 2: the damage from the last event, and I think that 135 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 2: unknowing about what you're going to be faced with when 136 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 2: you go back to your home or to your business 137 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 2: is a really, of course, a really challenging thing. It's 138 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 2: almost like the not knowing is harder than just sort 139 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 2: of seeing it and being able to deal with it. 140 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 2: It's that feeling of knowing something's happening and not being 141 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,359 Speaker 2: able to do anything about it and just having to 142 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 2: wait it out. 143 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, so true. I mean, Olie, we've seen so many 144 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: stories of hardship, so many tough times that people are facing, 145 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: really and it's going to be a big road ahead. 146 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: But gee, I reckon you would have spoken into some resilient, 147 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 1: amazing territorians over the last few weeks, have you. 148 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 2: I just can't even honestly put into words. It almost 149 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 2: makes you feel a bit emotional talking about it, because 150 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 2: the level of positivity has been something to behold. I 151 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: mean people, you know, I mean, Trend's a good example, 152 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 2: Ben Hockey is a good example, but not just those people. 153 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 2: Everyone that we have spoken to. It doesn't matter. They've 154 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 2: been working like crazy, they're going through so much, and 155 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,679 Speaker 2: yet every time we see them, they've got a smile 156 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: on their face. They're they're trying to be positive and 157 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 2: just pushing through this and it's truly, it's just it's 158 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 2: nothing short of inspiring. It really isn't. And you know, 159 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 2: this is this is small towns pulling together, and it's 160 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: just it's amazing to see. And it's going to be 161 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 2: that community, you know, spirit that is going to get 162 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 2: people through this. 163 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're spot on, incredible, incredible Territorians and you know, 164 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: the road recovery, road to recovery might be long, but 165 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: I think when you know that you've got each other 166 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: around and the whole town's banding together and everybody's helping out, gee, 167 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: it would make things just a little bit easier. It does. 168 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 2: And you know, I also want to acknowledge that, you know, 169 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: as much as the positivity is good, of course, people 170 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 2: also need they need assistance, funding, they need they need 171 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: money to get back on their feet. That's a very 172 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 2: real thing. But definitely, I mean, just having people around 173 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 2: you is so important at a time like this. 174 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, it truly is. Well. Olivana La Thoris I really 175 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: appreciate your time this morning. You've had a few great 176 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: chats with us over the last couple of weeks. Thank 177 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: you so much for your time. 178 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 2: It's always a pleasure. 179 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: Thank thank you, Thanks so much.