Elderly Residents Evacuated Amid Flood Threat

0:00It's March 24th. Welcome in. This is Sydney News Today, where local news meets AI. Fraile residents from two aged care homes in Catherine were evacuated to an open-sided basketball court at a local primary school as heavy rain from. Ex-tropical cyclone. Narell Threaten major flooding along the Catherine River. Most of those moved, including 23 out of 24 at one facility, are first nation's people with cognitive impairments in high care. Needs. Staff pushed beds into the center of the shelter to shield residents from blowing rain and later shifted the frailest into nearby classrooms. This setup was an improvement over a similar evacuation two weeks earlier. When people had to sleep on the floor without fans or proper equipment, nursing teams described the conditions as tough on elderly residents who seemed confused and hard to keep safe in the unfamiliar space. Meanwhile, police transported some evacuees, including seniors in the caged backs of patiwagans to speed things up, even with empty front seats.

1:02Available. Officials from the Northern Territory government stressed that moves followed emergency safety checks to get people out fast. This incident fits a pattern of criticized responses this wet season, like winching residents from floodcut communities and cramming evacuees into. Darwin shelters with few beds or privacy. Authorities and advocates now push for better planning, including culturally safe spots closer to home, with guaranteed basics like food and bedding. These events underscore the urgent need to prioritize dignity for vulnerable groups and disasters.