The empty meat section at Coles supermarket in Alice Springs after a flood blocked trucks and rail freight
The empty meat section at Coles supermarket in Alice Springs after a flood blocked trucks and rail freight
Residents in outback Australia have been forced to drive hundreds of kilometres for basic groceries after a 'once in a lifetime' desert storm blocked off their communities.

One woman said she drove 330km from her home to Alice Springs to stock up on supplies at Coles only to find empty shelves and 'food running out fast'.

The supply chain chaos was sparked by a 'once in a lifetime' desert storm this week which flooded the transcontinental freight line linking the Northern Territory and South Australia.

The supply chain chaos was sparked by a 'once in a lifetime' desert storm this week which flooded the transcontinental freight line (pictured) linking the NT and South Australia
The supply chain chaos was sparked by a 'once in a lifetime' desert storm this week which flooded the transcontinental freight line (pictured) linking the NT and South Australia
Another resident, who encountered the same issue at Woolworths, posted: 'The joys of country life, and having the main road and train tracks washed away by the flood.'

With the Covid crisis wreaking havoc across Australia, shoppers in every state have faced product shortages.

But in remote areas when supermarket shelves are bare, it's far more difficult to find an alternative.

'What will likely happen: me making a special trip into town next week and possibly needing two days off work to make the trip to try and get the items like meat, milk, fruit and veg,' Amanda said.

'I know most of you live in cities - so this is a glimpse of life out here.'

Some areas received up to 150mm of rain - or more than half the annual average in just a day or two.

Supermarkets in Darwin have also been affected - with some stripped bare of basic essentials such as fruit, vegetables and meat.

Trucks are now making their way into Alice Springs and surrounding areas from NSW and Queensland on the Barkly Highway from the north - a much longer route.

One woman said the situation in Alice Springs is 'worse than Covid' panic buying ever was.

Some areas received up to 150mm of rain - or more than half their annual average in just a day or two. Pictured: The Stuart Highway impacted by floods
Some areas received up to 150mm of rain - or more than half their annual average in just a day or two. Pictured: The Stuart Highway impacted by floods
But both Coles and Woolworths said new deliveries on Friday would help ease some of the supply crunch.

A Woolworths spokesperson said the supermarket giant has re-routed deliveries from SA into the NT via Mt Isa this week, but they warned shoppers Queensland road closures are now also impacting those delivery routes.

'Our teams are working hard to deliver stock to our NT stores as quickly as possible, and assessing alternate delivery routes,' a spokesman for the supermarket said.

'Unfortunately, our local customers will continue to regrettably see reduced product availability in our stores. We know this is frustrating and thank everyone for their patience and understanding.'