Record-breaking rain shuts Uluru

An extreme weather event dumping heavy rain across the Northern Territory has forced the closure of Uluru National Park.

Uluru under heavy cloud and rain in May

Record-breaking rain and flash flooding has closed Uluru National Park, Parks Australia says. (AAP)

Record-breaking rain and flash flooding has closed Uluru National Park until further notice, Parks Australia says.

A deep low pressure system was on Monday moving slowly southeast across the Northern Territory, carrying locally-destructive winds, heavy rain and the risk of flash flooding, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

"Due to an extreme weather event, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been closed until further notice," Parks Austalia said in a statement.

"Our rangers are checking the condition of the roads every hour in a bid to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so."

The weather bureau listed Yulara, north of the park, as a location which would be affected.

Peak wind gusts reached up to 125km/h and the Walungurru district recorded 232mm of rain in 24 hours.

"We've only got about 15 years of records at that location, but it's clearly well above previous totals," BoM forecaster Mosese Raico told AAP.

Previously, the highest monthly total for December for that region was 161mm, recorded in 2003.

The highest daily total for any time of the year was 127mm, recorded in March 2006.

Mr Raico said the low was not expected to move into South Australia until Tuesday and heavy rain would persist.


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world