South Australia starts counting costs of summer storm — with more to come
THE wild weather system that began on Tuesday is continuing, with a second bout of thunderstorms smashing the state’s Mid-North. SEE THE VIDEO
- RECAP: How the storm worked its way over the state
- SA POWER NETWORKS: Latest on power outages
- EMEREGENCY: SES contact, incidents and warnings
- SA WEATHER WARNINGS: Bureau of Meteorology
- Recapping first day of September’s monster storm
THE wild weather that began on Tuesday is continuing, with a second bout of thunderstorms smashing the state’s Mid-North.
According to latest reports, the main street at Port Augusta was flooded as 25mm of rain fell between 6pm to 7pm and wind speeds reaching 126km/h.
There were reports of cars still driving through the town and houses knee deep in water, causing serious damage to furniture and electric goods.
FLOODING IN PORT AUGUSTA - VIDEO: Kay N Col Minter - Facebook
LATEST WARNINGS
Severe thunderstorms in parts of the Flinders, Mid North and Eastern Eyre Peninsula districts are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, destructive wind gusts in excess of 125 km/h and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours.
Port Augusta recorded a wind gust of 126 km/h at 6:18pm and 25 mm of rainfall in less than 30 minutes.
BATTERED TORRENS CHRISTMAS DISPLAY CLOSED
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for the Murraylands, Upper South East, Lower South East and parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges and Riverland districts.
Damaging winds reaching speeds of up to 70km/h with wind gusts of up to 125km/h lashed these areas and heavy rainfall and flash flooding threatened the south east.
Police urged drivers to take extra care while on the road as traffic lights at some intersections were not working.
EARLIER IN THE DAY
The the state’s 180th Proclamation Day, SA Power Networks estimated that up to 125,000 properties were without power at one point during the day. By late Wednesday afternoon, there were still nearly 75,000 properties without power.
The SES had received more than 1250 calls for help by midafternoon.
SES and CFS volunteers spent the day removing fallen trees from homes, cars and roads and responding to reports of flooding.
The Adelaide Hills region was among the areas that copped a battering during the severe weather.
Marian Taylor experienced deja vu after heavy rain caused water to leak through the ceiling of her Bridgewater home.
It was the second time in about six weeks that water had dripped through the ceiling of her Mount Barker Rd property.
“We heard some weird noises and the next thing we knew we could hear a dripping sound,” Ms Taylor said.
She said the storm was the “worst I’ve seen”.
Another Bridgewater resident Michael Busby was forced to place buckets in his Osterley Rd home to capture water coming through the roof after a tree fell on it in the morning.
“We had three limbs come down on the house,” he said.
“So I’ve got buckets all in the study.”
Meanwhile, The Advertiser photographer Mark Brake captured the moment felled powerlines catapulted a large branch about 10 metres into the air as SES volunteers worked to clear a gum tree that had toppled onto a Crafers West road.
The tree came to a rest on powerlines on Charlick Rd and as the SES cut it free, a large piece was thrown into the air as the powerlines recoiled back.
“It surprised me how far that flung,” Metro South SES volunteer Warren Hicks said.
“It was just like a big sling shot.”
Mr Hicks said the morning had been “pretty hectic up here”.
“I’ve already been to six jobs and there’s a lot more that we haven’t got to yet,” he said.
BOM Regional Director John Nairn yesterday warned the state’s south may be hit with further severe thunderstorms on Wednesday night, bringing with them heavy rainfall and damaging winds.
The SES was offering sandbags to vulnerable households so people could prepare.
SES deputy chief officer Dermott Barry said the SES had received 15,000 calls for assistance in 2016, more than double what it usually receives.
Mr Barry called on South Australians to take care.
“Please, please, just stay out of the floodwaters,” he said.
“Be aware of your surrounds and keep your kids out of the floodwaters as well.”
- Josephine Lim