Cyclone Les

{{Storm path|Les 1998 track.png}}

On 19 January 1998, an area of low pressure developed over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Little development occurred as the system traveled initially towards the southwest and later towards the east. Late on 21 January, the low moved over the Cape York Peninsula and began to strengthen. A surge of moisture from a northwest monsoon and a tightening pressure gradient due to an area of high pressure located over the Great Australian Bight, allowed the system to develop. The first warning published by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology was issued on 23 January, after the storm had moved back over the Gulf of Carpentaria.{{cite web|author=Gary Padgett|publisher=Typhoon 2000|date=14 May 1998|accessdate=22 February 2009|title=Monthly Tropical Weather Summary for January 1998|url=http://www.typhoon2000.ph/jan98.txt}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/flood6.htm|title=Climate Education: Katherine floods, January 1998|publisher=Bureau of Meteorology|accessdate=30 July 2012|archiveurl=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20090317054300/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/96122/20090317-1643/www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/flood6.html|archivedate=17 March 2009}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

The intense rainfall also occurred during "king high tides" in the Timor Sea that pushed water from the lower reaches upstream, as a result, floodwater drainage was impeded. Flooding was most severe in Katherine, Northern Territory, where flooding began 24 January. Many residents were evacuated to cyclone shelters, while several others were stranded on rooftops. On Australia Day, 26 January, roads north and south from Katherine were closed due to rising floodwaters, and Royal Australian Air Force personnel from RAAF Base Tindal joined local police and emergency services to assist with sandbagging critical infrastructure. Some 5000 residents were evacuated as an estimated 500 businesses and 1200 homes were inundated by floodwaters, including the Katherine District Hospital.{{cite web|url=http://www.em.gov.au/Documents/Katherine_Daly_flood_disaster_1998.pdf|title=The Katherine-Daly flood disaster 1998|author1=Skertchly, A|author2=Skertchly, K|publisher=Australian Journal of Emergency Management|date=1998{{ndash}}99|access-date=4 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401211437/http://www.em.gov.au/Documents/Katherine_Daly_flood_disaster_1998.pdf|archive-date=1 April 2015|url-status=dead}} On 27 January, a state of emergency was declared for Katherine as the Katherine River reached a level of 20.3 m (66.6 ft). The floodwaters peaked at {{convert|20.4|m|abbr=on}} at the Katherine railway bridge, passing the previous record of 19.3m during major flooding in 1957. Two days later, 392 residents were evacuated from the Daly River region, approximately {{convert|200|km|abbr=on}} downstream from Katherine, where floodwaters had risen above 11.5m and would continue to rise to a peak of {{convert|16.8|m|abbr=on}} on 3 February.

The cyclone dumped over 380mm of rainfall in the area within a 48-hour period, leaving water up to 2 m (6.5 ft) through much of the town. The flooding forced at least 2,000 people out of their homes, and killed 3 people.{{cite web|author=Staff Writer|publisher=Relief in Sight|title=No Stranger to Floods|year=2007|accessdate=22 February 2009|url=http://www.reliefinsight.com.au/tourblog/katherine/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615013105/http://www.reliefinsight.com.au/tourblog/katherine/index.html|archivedate=15 June 2007}} Total damages from the storm amounted to at least A$100 million (US$64.7 million).{{cite web|publisher=Australian Bureau of Meteorology|year=2009|accessdate=22 February 2009|title=Tropical Cyclone Les|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/cyclone/nt/Les.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620070336/http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/index.shtml|archive-date=20 June 2012|url-status=dead}} Additionally, local infrastructure was severely damaged by the storm. During the flood emergency, the only road access between Darwin and the rest of Australia was impassable for five days.{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/les.shtml|title=Tropical Cyclone Les|publisher=Bureau of Meteorology}} Drainage and sewerage systems failed, leading to an outbreak of gastroenteritis.{{cite web|url=http://www.em.gov.au/Documents/Hazards,%20Disasters%20and%20Your%20Community.pdf|title=Hazards, Disasters and Your Community – Seventh edition|publisher=Emergency Management Australia (Australian Government)|year=2006|accessdate=30 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813153201/http://www.em.gov.au/Documents/Hazards,%20Disasters%20and%20Your%20Community.pdf|archive-date=13 August 2012|url-status=dead}} When the flood waters receded, priority was given to making critical facilities such as the hospital operational once again, with 300 additional Australian Defence Force personnel arriving to assist with the clean-up.

Through the Appropriation (Flood Relief) Bill (1998) the Northern Territory Government released $10 million of funds for immediate flood relief. It was estimated at this time that at least $30 million would be required for capital works reconstruction, and a similar amount to be allocated to supporting business and individuals. It was expected this amount would be met by the Commonwealth Government.{{cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nt/bill_srs/arb1998282/srs.html|title=Appropriation (Flood Relief) Bill 1998|publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute|accessdate=30 July 2012}} The Northern Territory Government conducted studies in the area in the years following the disaster to learn how better to prepare for major flood events, and now makes flood maps and information brochures available to the public{{cite web|url=http://www.pfes.nt.gov.au/~/media/Files/Forms_Licences_Permits_Publications/Emergency/Brochures/111116-WEB-1110-FloodSafe_Katherine_Brochure.ashx|title=Floodsafe Katherine Brochure|publisher=Northern Territory Government|access-date=4 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604101137/http://www.pfes.nt.gov.au/~/media/Files/Forms_Licences_Permits_Publications/Emergency/Brochures/111116-WEB-1110-FloodSafe_Katherine_Brochure.ashx|archive-date=4 June 2012|url-status=dead}} as well as other early warning systems such as flood sirens and live webcams monitoring the river.

On 30 January, Prime Minister of Australia John Howard visited Katherine, announcing measures including disaster relief payments of $1000 for each adult and $200 for each child affected by the flooding, the creation of a taskforce to investigate problems faced by those who were not insured for flooding as well as $5 million in funding for repairs and improvements to the Stuart Highway.{{cite web|url=http://www.accommodationkatherine.com.au/accommodation-katherine-articles/1998/2/1/floods-claim-second-life/|title=Floods claim second life|publisher=The Sunday Age|date=1 February 1998|access-date=4 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303113603/http://www.accommodationkatherine.com.au/accommodation-katherine-articles/1998/2/1/floods-claim-second-life/|archive-date=3 March 2015|url-status=dead}}

The economic impact of the disaster on the town of Katherine was significant. Of the estimated $200 million damages, only $70 million was insured and many local businesses were forced to close. The pastoral industry, worth over $60 million annually to the region was badly affected by the loss of whole herds of livestock to the rising waters.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2007/s2148964.htm|author=Curtain, C|title=Remembering the Katherine flood of 1998|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=29 January 2008}}

A study conducted by the School for Social and Policy Research at Charles Darwin University in 2008 analysed trends in census data before and after the disaster and found that the population had not yet recovered to pre-flood levels ten years after the event, and the demographics in the town had shifted significantly.{{cite web|url=http://www.cdu.edu.au/sites/default/files/Brief2009044demographicchangekatherine.pdf|title=Demographic Change, Katherine and Cyclone Les|publisher=Charles Darwin University|year=2008|accessdate=30 July 2012}}

In 2008, the Katherine Town Council submitted to Infrastructure Australia documents outlining the approximate costing and importance of relocating the town's hospital and ambulance station to a less flood-prone area following the total evacuation and inundation of both facilities during the 1998 and 2006 flood events.{{cite web|url=http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/public_submissions/published/files/474_katherinetowncouncil_SUB3.pdf|title=Katherine Hospital and Ambulance Station|publisher=Infrastructure Australia|date=14 October 2008|accessdate=30 July 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316211056/http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/public_submissions/published/files/474_katherinetowncouncil_SUB3.pdf|archivedate=16 March 2012}}

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• 1997–98 Australian region cyclone season

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{{Category 2 Australian region tropical cyclones}}

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Category:1997–98 Australian region cyclone season

Category:Category 2 Australian region cyclones

Category:Tropical cyclones in the Northern Territory

Category:1998 disasters in Australia

Cyclone Les

Category:Tropical cyclones in Queensland

Category:Tropical cyclones in Western Australia