6 months’ worth of rain cuts off Western Australia, leaves 7 people missing

Extremely heavy rains have struck Western Australia over the past couple of days, causing significant flooding that has severed the main route connecting Western Australia with the rest of the country. The flooding has also left seven people missing since Sunday, March 10, 2024.

A stationary trough situated over southern-eastern Western Australia combined with a moist air mass drawn southward from the tropics, dropping over 155 mm (6.1 inches) of rain over Rawlinna, situated 900 km (560 miles) east of Perth.

This is more than half the yearly rainfall for the region within just 24 hours, leading to the closure of key transport routes such as the Trans-Australian Railway line and Eyre Highway, crucial for freight between Western Australia and South Australia.

The Eyre Highway is expected to reopen at 10:00 LT on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Australian Rail Track Corporation has indicated that the east-west rail line will likely remain shut until later in the week, affecting the Indian-Pacific train service between Perth and Sydney via Adelaide, which is now canceled until Saturday, March 16.

A stationary trough over eastern #WA is driving continued heavy rainfall through the region.
141.2mm reported at Eyre in the 24hrs to 9am on Sunday.
A Severe Weather Warning and Flood Watch are current for the area.
Find the latest warning information https://t.co/ungq5ciwNS pic.twitter.com/bEDvepxkGu

— Bureau of Meteorology, Western Australia (@BOM_WA) March 11, 2024

Seven individuals, including several children, were reported missing in Western Australia’s remote outback since Sunday, March 10. The group embarked on a journey in two vehicles—a 1986 White Toyota Landcruiser and a 2005 Mitsubishi Triton—from Boulder, aiming to reach the Tjuntjuntjara community, located approximately 700 km (435 miles) northeast of Kalgoorlie.

This journey, undertaken on predominantly dirt tracks, has led to an anxious search for their whereabouts after they failed to arrive at their destination.

The specifics of their travel, particularly the decision to navigate through such remote and rugged terrain, remain under investigation. However, it is understood that the group was traversing a route known for its challenging conditions, even before the onset of severe weather that has since exacerbated the search and rescue efforts. Police and family members have found themselves unable to establish contact with the missing individuals, raising concerns for their safety and well-being.

Authorities, in response to the situation, have launched a comprehensive search operation. However, the aerial search was suspended after just one hour due to low-lying cloud cover that severely limited visibility from the air. Similarly, efforts to conduct a ground search have been stymied by flooded roadways, which have rendered many areas inaccessible.

Inspector Mick Kelly of the Goldfields-Esperance District has publicly expressed concern for the missing group, especially given the limited supplies of food and water they are believed to have had with them.

In light of these circumstances, authorities remain hopeful that the individuals have stayed with their vehicles, which would increase their chances of being found. Police have also released images of the vehicles in a bid to garner information from the public that might aid in locating the missing persons.

The search operation is expected to resume with full intensity on Wednesday morning, as weather conditions are forecasted to improve.

Additionally, a tropical low in the Indian Ocean looms as a potential new threat, with forecasts suggesting it could develop into a tropical cyclone. Its trajectory towards the Pilbara coast heightens concerns for gale-force winds impacting Christmas Island as it passes by on Tuesday.

References:

¹ Search for missing group hampered as six months’ rain in 24 hours cuts off WA from eastern states – The Sydney Morning Herald – March 12, 2024

Featured image credit: JMA/Himawari-9, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers. Acquired at 04:50 UTC on March 10, 2024