Riverine flooding and storm surge

When it rains a lot near rivers or creeks, water in the river can overflow and flood nearby land. This is called riverine flooding.

It happens when there is too much rain in a short time, or when it rains for a long time over a big area.

Riverine flooding is one of the major natural disasters in the Northern Territory.

Many towns and communities can be affected by this kind of flooding, and it can last for days or even weeks.

A big storm like a tropical cyclone near the coast can also cause flooding.

The storm can make the water in the sea higher for a few hours, and this can affect much of the coast. This is called storm surge inundation.

The size of the storm surge depends on how high the tide is when the storm comes.

Storms can also cause sinkholes, which can be a potential hazard for people and animals.

View maps and reports below:

• floodplain
• Katherine and rural areas flood warnings
• flood monitoring
• storm surge inundation
• sinkholes.