Ex-tropical cyclone Lincoln has flooded inland areas of the Northern Territory again as it now moves west across the top of Western Australia.
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The vital Stuart Highway link between the NT and the southern states has been cut again as TC Lincoln crossed the NT coast late Friday as a category one cyclone.
But even after being quickly downgraded to a tropical low after making landfall, the system has flooded areas of the Barkly as it made its way across the Territory on the weekend.
The system is tipped to gather strength now it has reached WA and may reach west of the Kimberley and Pilbara by the middle of next week before circling back.
The Bureau of Meteorology says "there is a high risk" it could redevelop into a tropical cyclone from Thursday.
On Friday and over the weekend it could move towards the Pilbara coast, possibly impacting the coast from late Friday.
Tennant Creek, in the heart of the NT's important Barkly cattle region, recorded 138mm by 9am Sunday as the tropical low passed with a further 50mm likely to be the total by 9am today (Monday).
The bureau says the severe weather is likely to ease through the Barkly district today (Monday) "but is likely to persist in parts of the Tanami and Gregory throughout Tuesday".
The normally parched Tanami Desert has received a pounding as well, Rabbit Flat has recorded around 150mm.
The Barkley stock route is flooded and has been declared impassible.
There are washouts and water over the many roads in the inland areas with motorists on the Stuart Highway warned to check local conditions. Some sections are only recommended for 4WD vehicles and trucks.
Only a month ago, the Stuart Highway was inundated by floodwaters, stopping essential supplies from reaching Katherine and the Top End, and leaving supermarket shelves empty for days.
Now ex-TC Lincoln has cut the highway about 45km south of Tennant Creek.
Water is also over the road in the area of Three Ways roadhouse, where nearly 160mm fell overnight at nearby Phillip Creek Station.
Flood warnings remain for western Queensland on the Diamantina, Nicholson and Flinders rivers.
It has been a mighty wet season in the Top End.
Displaced community members in the Victoria River's Pigeon Hole and Yarralin had only just been allowed to return home.
The Buchanan Highway remains closed "and is in poor condition".
Food deliveries have been made by air to Yarralin over the past month.
Further deliveries are also on their way by road, the NT government said.
Meanwhile, NT Health is reminding Territorians to be on high alert for melioidosis, the so-called mud disease.
Since the start of the wet season on October 1 there have been 22 cases and two deaths reported in the Territory.
Melioidosis most often causes lung infections presenting with fever, cough and shortness of breath but can also affect many variable parts of the body causing abscesses. Skin sores that don't heal can be caused by melioidosis bacteria.
Case numbers in the 2022-2023 wet season were higher than usual, with 87 cases of melioidosis and six deaths.
On average around 50 cases of melioidosis are reported in the NT annually, with most of those diagnosed between November and April.
Melioidosis is a disease caused by the bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, found in tropical soil and water. Heavy rain brings the bacteria in the soil and water to the surface.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
