HOMES were flooded and creeks transformed from trickle to torrent as the monsoonal deluge continued in Darwin today.
And the heavy rain is tipped to settle in for the weekend over the Top End.
Some residents in the remote community of Palumpa, 375km south west of Darwin, were evacuated from their homes after a billabong overflowed yesterday.
Palumpa Station manager Paul Donald watched 15 centimetres of water wash through his home over a couple of hours yesterday afternoon.
"There is not much you can do but sit back and let it do what it is going to do." he said.
The Palumpa health clinic was also inundated, forcing staff to move and find shelter at the local school. And in Peppimenarti, 31km southwest of Palumpa, police tried to construct a levee with a front- end loader after about 450mm fell in 48 hours.
But officers gave up because the ground was too sodden.
Peppimenarti Sergeant Jason Conroy said fast-flowing water transformed the creek from a trickle to about 80 metres wide and eight metres deep.
"There is still about 60 metres to go before the floodwater will affect buildings and we're keeping a close eye on the situation," Sgt Conroy said.
Darwin again received a pummelling with 114mm falling at Darwin Airport in the 35 hours to 8pm last night.
Weather bureau senior forecaster Rebecca Patrick said squally winds and heavy rain would continue to pound the Top End over the weekend.
A monsoonal low that threatened to turn into a cyclone near Wadeye on Wednesday was last night moving into the Roper-McArthur district.
There is a chance it may turn into a cyclone at the weekend butit would threaten Queensland, not the Top End.
A severe weather and flood warning was in place for the Darwin-Daly, North Victoria River, Roper-Mcarthur and Arnhem districts.
RAINFALL 35 HOURS TO 8PM
- Darwin Airport 114mm
- The Chase 121mm
- Pinelands 87mm
- Noonamah 106mm
- Adelaide River 140mm
- Daly River 134mm
- Douglas River 194mm
