A Call to Aid in Karumba
Tianna Graham - Communications and Engagement Coordinator, James Cook University
Tropical Cyclone Imogen crossed the western Gulf of Queensland, near Karumba, late on Sunday, January 3, 2021. The aftermath of the storm left the remote community completely isolated as flood waters cut off main roads. The only way in or out was by air. Dr Michael Clements, a Townsville-based GP who regularly runs outreach clinics around the Cape, was preparing to fly in and aid the community’s recovery. Knowing medical staff would be understaffed and under-resourced, he put out the call to final-year JCU students to see if they could lend a hand. Hannah Kahn and Harjyot Gill were among the three students who jumped at the chance to help the people of Karumba. This is their story.
A privilege to help: Hannah Kahn Getting to go to Karumba was an absolute privilege. When I saw the email saying there was an opportunity to go, I only had to read a few key points before I was sold. Flying in a four-seater aircraft? Helping a community recover from a natural disaster? Practising medicine in a low-resource environment? I thought, this is it, this is what I want to do! I’ve been grateful for the opportunity ever since. Flying into Karumba, you could see the extensive flooding. As it was a lower category cyclone, only a few trees were down, but what I found most striking was the degree of inundation. While the town itself was not flooded, the entire surrounding area was, which was immediately apparent from the air. Seeing the Norman River burst its banks, well and truly cutting off the road, was also impressive to behold. There are many health implications that can stem from a natural disaster such as this. Often, there are increases in the transmission of arthropod-borne illnesses, skin infections, and multisystem diseases such as melioidosis. We did see some structural damage to housing within the community, with older properties bearing the brunt of the damage. There was an enormous gum
Pictured: Flying over the flooded Norman River outside of Karumba. Roads were completely cut off to the community after rain from Tropical Cyclone Imogen inundated the area.
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