Isolated Utopia homelands in central Australia cut off by heavy rainfall

Hundreds of people have been cut off and isolated in the central Australian desert following heavy rainfall in the region, with many having little or no access to adequate food or emergency services.

One hundred and sixty millimetres has fallen in the Utopia homelands north-east of Alice Springs, flooding roadways and knocking out local Telstra services.

Kelly, who did not want her full name used, is a nurse at the Urapuntja Health Service, the only health clinic for the region’s 1,000 residents.

“They cannot contact us in medical emergencies — there could be drownings, motor vehicle accidents — and obviously that keeps us under stress,” she said.

“We’ve been without Telstra landline…