The head of the NT’s road transport industry peak body has confirmed it will be another day before more fresh produce arrives to replenish bare shelves in Top End supermarkets, as flooding continues to disrupt freight to the region.

Fresh produce shelves were emptying out in locations including Darwin on Sunday after floodwaters cut both rail and road access to the Northern Territory’s Top End.

After being closed between Mataranka and Tennant Creek from Friday until Sunday afternoon, the Stuart Highway — the Northern Territory’s main highway — was temporarily reopened on Sunday afternoon. However it was closed again overnight, and is yet to reopen.

At the same time, the Adelaide-Darwin rail line has been closed between Katherine and Tennant Creek due to track damage.

NT Road Transport Association executive officer Louise Bilato told ABC Radio Darwin on Monday morning that “up to 50 road trains … had been caught between Tennant [Creek] and Three Ways” on the Stuart Highway while it was closed over the weekend, before passing through when it reopened from 3pm and 6.30pm on Sunday.

“There were car carriers, general freight, some empty fuel carters … but there was also food [trucks] that are on the way to Darwin,” she said.

However, she said contractors hired by the NT’s Department of Infrastructure Planning and Logistics (DIPL) had been undertaking repairs on damaged sections of the highway overnight, and it was expected to reopen today.

“As soon as those trucks roll into Darwin that food will be distributed … onto the shelves as quickly as possible,” she said.

Coles and Woolworths have been contacted for comment.

The road and rail closures come as emergency flood warnings have been issued for a number of remote communities in recent days, with some residents from Pigeon Hole — about 700 kilometres south of Darwin — evacuated to the NT’s capital city.

On Monday, Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt also said the Australian Defence Force was on standby to evacuate 450 people from the community of Kalkarindji to Katherine if necessary.

Ms Bilato warned there could be more freight disruptions to come, and urged territorians to be patient.

“There certainly is a queue [of road trains] that will be waiting in Tennant Creek for the road to open this morning. But [there] is going to be periodic closures, and there [is] going to be traffic management in place,” she said.

“We urge everyone to be patient, because it’s better … [managing] any serious risk areas … [and allowing trucks] to be trickled through, than nothing at all.”

Flood warnings to continue

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Juliet Barsden said although rainfall was easing, warnings would remain in place across central parts of the NT.

“Even though the low [pressure system] has just moved away, and even though rainfall is easing over central parts for the most part, flood warnings continue,” she told ABC Radio Darwin on Monday.

“There’s major flooding occurring at Kalkarindji from the heavy rainfall that we’ve had over the weekend.

“Because of those catchments — the water’s got to move through them — the flooding impacts are likely to increase through the week until the floodwaters have made their way downstream.”