Second major emergency called for South Australia following flood damage

For the first time in the state’s history, South Australia is under two different major emergency declarations after last week’s historic floods.

A second major emergency – on top of the one imposed for Covid – has been declared in South Australia, this time in response to the extreme weather event that caused flooding in the north and west of the state.

Several towns remain isolated from the rest of the state as floodwaters continue to affect many roads and major highways. It’s left remote towns with significant food and medical supply shortages due to the breakdown of freight and rail networks in affected areas.

In response, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens declared a major emergency on Friday. It is believed to be the first time in the state’s history that two major emergency declarations have been in place at the same time.

Woomera Railway lines impacted by floods. Damien Butler

“The purpose of this is to ensure that we have a strategically co-ordinated approach to resolving the significant damage to our road network and the rail network,” Mr Stevens said. “And making sure that we’re able to provide the necessary support to isolated communities and ensure food security in some of those communities.”

Coober Pedy Council administrator Tim Jackson welcomed the decision.

He said supermarket shelves in the town had been left bare following the closure of the Stuart Highway.

“The ironic thing is we haven’t even had any rain here, but 200km down the road, the highway is flooded,” he said.

“My question is why did it take so long? But we are relieved it has happened because an emergency direction can bring a whole lot of things into play.”

Woomera Railway lines. Picture: Damien Butler

Fiona Scutter was driving home to Coober Pedy last weekend when she stopped to rest with her family in the small town of Glendambo, about 250km south, on Sunday night.

They have been stranded there ever since.

“The Stuart Highway has been flooded just to the north of the town since then and we’ve been told nothing is likely to change for a week or two,” Ms Scutter said.

“We have a lot of pressure on us right now financially, there’s barely any groceries in the town and we can’t afford to buy meals every night at the hotel.”

\Woomera Railway lines. Picture: Damien Butler

Further west, the damage bill for Eyre Peninsula town Kimba is estimated at $5m following recent record rain, prompting calls for urgent disaster relief payments.

Liberal member for Grey Rowan Ramsey said areas on the West Coast and Eyre Peninsula had been particularly hard hit.

“In the agricultural lands the epicentre of the storm events has been Kimba where there have been readings of over 300mm of rain over a four-day period,” Mr Ramsey said. He said paddocks had held the deluge well, but “hundreds of kilometres” of fencing had been washed out and public roads were damaged.