Floods cut off Pilbara communities

Roads are still closed in the Pilbara’s interior despite the rain letting up last night on the region’s centre.

The Great Northern highway between Meekatharra and Newman is still closed to light vehicles after 119.6mm fell between 11.30pm Saturday and 9am Monday.

The community of Jigalong is still stranded by the flooding.

The Fortescue River Side Track, Paraburdoo-Tom Price Road to Bingarn Road, and Bingarn Road to Hamersley Road are all closed to vehicles.

The Nanutarra-Munjina Road to Paraburdoo is open to trucks and four-wheel-drives only.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a warning before midday today for people in Marble Bar, Yarrie Station and surrounding areas in the Pilbara to take action as minor to moderate flooding was expected to continue today.

Marble Bar had 72.8mm of rain two days ago and according to the Bureau of Meteorology there is a high chance for more showers over the weekend.

There was heavy rainfall overnight on the coast with Onslow receiving 56.4mm, the highest rainfall for the town since June 2013, while Learmonth Airport, 30km up the road from Exmouth, copped 89.6mm.

Only 9mm dropped on Karratha last night and 2.4mm in Port Hedland although the weather bureau has predicted high chances of showers or thunderstorms in the two towns in the coming days.

There’s a medium chance of more showers in Newman in the coming days.

Off the coast on Barrow Island 20mm fell overnight, the highest also since June 2013 and more than the island’s received in the previous eight months combined.