SA floods: Renmark aged care residents face evacuation as lockout looms for Mannum businesses

More aged care residents are being moved from a hospital behind a levee bank as Riverland flood levels continue to rise.

Rising water levels and an abundance of caution will see 30 aged care residents relocated to higher grounds within the Renmark Paringa District Hospital on Monday.

SA Health on Saturday morning said it was initiating ‘phase two’ of its relocation plan for the hospital as it continues to monitor water flows, expected to surpass 200GL per day.

It follows 21 vulnerable residents – with significant mobility restrictions – being evacuated from the hospital on Tuesday to other facilities, as part of the plan’s ‘first phase’.

Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network chief executive Wayne Champion said two aged care buildings and the main hospital building were on higher ground and above the anticipated peak water height, compared to the rest of its aged care facilities.

Mr Champion said those buildings could safely accommodate the 61 remaining aged care residents and three of the remaining hospital patients, as the water rises.

A sandbag wall being constructed along the riverfront near the Renmark Club, taken on December 7. Picture” Dean Martin

“Families of 30 residents who are located in other parts of the aged care facility were contacted last night and have been offered a choice of either a room change within the hospital facility or relocation to a different aged care facility,” Mr Champion said.

“Alternatively, some families may wish to have their loved one at home over the Christmas period, in which case we will support them with additional community-based home support services.

“Initial conversations indicate the majority of families would prefer for their family member to remain on-site, where they will continue to receive care from the same team, be with other aged care residents and access their usual recreational activities.”

Flooding along the well-trodden footpath near the Renmark Club, taken on December 7. Picture: Dean Martin

The hospital, on Ral Ral Avenue, has stopped admitting patients despite being next to a levee bank that Renmark Paringa Council has calculated could withstand 340GL/day.

Mr Champion has previously said while he had a level of confidence in the levee, there was still a need for caution as river levels exceed those passed during the 1974 flood.

He said the mobility-impaired residents, who were moved during the week, was done so as they would be “very difficult to move in the very unlikely scenario of a levee failure”.

The relocation of some of the remaining residents was being done out of an “abundance of caution” and would be done in a “calm, orderly and supportive manner”.

It follows the authority in charge of the measuring the flow of the River Murray flood warning it’s calculations should “be interpreted with a high degree of caution”.

The SA River Murray Flow Report, released by the Department of Environment and Water, said on Friday a significant amount of water was “bypassing river monitoring sites”.

Hospital patients face evacuation – as businesses locked out

By Kathryn Bermingham, Todd Lewis

MONDAY: Business owners on the wrong side of a temporary levee bank dividing Mannum’s main street are racing to remove stock and fittings from their shops before they were due to lose access on Tuesday.

Kylie Rochow, owner of Deja Vu Ski Shop, said her store would trade until 3pm on Sunday, when staff would begin packing away all stock.

On Monday, they planned to remove fixtures and fittings and make final preparations for the looming inundation.

“We’ve got loads of help. I could not ask for more support, honestly, it’s just been incredible,” she said.

It comes as authorities on Sunday said some aged care residents in the Renmark Paringa District Hospital would be evacuated this week.

Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network chief executive Wayne Champion said 21 of the most vulnerable residents would be moved on Tuesday from the centre, which has 81 residents and up to eight inpatients.

Kylie Rochow, Deja Vu Ski Shop owner in Mannum. Picture: Tom Huntley

“These 21 residents are not independently mobile and require the highest level of care and it is important that time is given to ensure relocation is done in a careful, controlled and safe manner,” he said.

Their families have been advised. All relocated aged care residents will be accommodated in other Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network operated facilities.

Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said families were aware this day would come.

“What we wanted to do was have a predetermined level of the river and make a decision early to do a relocation,” she said on Monday.

“When you’ve got people who were that frail, if you had more of an emergency situation and had to do an evacuation, it will be very rushed.”

Ms Spurrier said more residents may require evacuation.

“The next group of residents are a little bit more mobile,” she told ABC Radio Adelaide.

“We’ll be watching the height of the river and the flow of the river over the coming week or two... then making consideration at the end of the week, or early next week about the next group.”

New pictures: Rising River Murray at Mannum, Loxton

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Ms Rochow said the other businesses on that side of the levee, constructed by the Mid Murray Council, had also traded on Sunday prior to the Tuesday lockout.

She will store all stock in a storage shed until such time her shop can reopen, which she believed could be between four and six months away.

“I hope not six, I really do, but it depends how quickly the council gets their act together afterwards,” she said.

She said she had not yet accessed a government support grant, but would make an application after the store’s closure.

Under a $51.6 million flood assistance package, announced last month by the state government, one-off Personal Hardship Emergency Grants of $400 for an individual, or up to $1000 for a family, have been made available to those displaced from their homes by the flood.

As of Friday afternoon, information provided by the state government stated 13 personal hardship grants had been distributed for a total $9200. One emergency accommodation grant – which funds up to two weeks of accommodation for those with no alternative – had been distributed at a total of $960.

Payments have been made either the same day that the application was accepted or the following day.

Early Business Closure Grants of $10,000 are available for “non-employing businesses”, and $20,000 for businesses that employ staff and are forced to close or cease trading prior to the flood.

There had so far been 45 applications for Early Business Closure Grants — 20 to receive $10,000, and 25 to receive $20,000.

Of those, a total of six – totalling $80,000 – had been processed and paid.

Another application had been approved but not yet paid, while 38 were under assessment.

The package also included grants of up to $500 for households, and $4000 for businesses that are switched off from the electricity grid and need to purchase a generator.

There had been 12 applications received for generator grants – nine from households and three from businesses.

Two had been approved and 10 were under assessment.