Seven family members have been found alive and well after they went missing when record rainfall hit Western Australia’s Nullarbor as they were travelling to an Indigenous community.
This afternoon emergency services began searching for two elderly men, one elderly woman and four children aged between 12 and 17 who were driving from Boulder to Tjuntjuntjara.
Police tonight confirmed they were found “safe and well” by the air wing.
“Arrangements are being made to rescue the travellers and provisions will be provided in the interim,” Western Australia Police said in a statement.
Tjuntjuntjara Aborigional Corporation chief executive Jon Lark said the family was travelling on a road residents normally used, as it was the only access road to the community.
“We are overwhelmed, we are so emotional, we are so pleased,” he told 9News after they were found.
“I have just been in a Teams meeting with police and we are out there, everyone is so happy.”
Police held “grave concerns” for their welfare yesterday but had to abandon land and air searches due to the flooding and low-lying thick cloud.
Christmas Island hit hard
Christmas Island also copped a battering.
The storm caused huge waves and smashed windows on the local bakery.
“We have seen reports of waves in excess of five and six metres, which have caused significant damage on the coastline of the island,” Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jessica Lingard said.
“Stations along the Ecula coastline have seen more than their annual rainfall total in just four or five days,” she said.
Supermarkets told 9News there was no impact on stock levels yet and they were exploring different routes.
Charity mission disrupted
Brothers Stefan and Lachlan Lamble were caught up in the chaos on their mission to run and walk across Australia to raise money for cancer research.
They experienced 60 millimetres of rain while trekking through WA’s south-east.
“Sometimes you get these massive road trains swinging through, and they literally just cover us in water head to toe,” Lachlan said.
Stefan said they were fighting for Australian families in the crazy conditions.
“Who would of thought that the desert could be flooded but it is,” he said.
