Multi-car crash amid dust storm as strong winds lash SA

A dust storm and heavy winds led to low visibility and several incidents across SA on Tuesday, including a multi-car crash in Balaklava.

Blinding and damaging dust storms swept large parts of the state on Tuesday, causing a three-car pileup and fuelling grass fires.

Adelaide’s sky was illuminated bright orange as strong winds whipped up clouds of dust that reduced visibility to almost zero in some areas.

At Bowmans, between Balaklava and Port Wakefield police say the dust storm was responsible for a three-car crash on Balaklava Road at about 11.20am after visibility was reduced to “nothing”.

Five people were involved in the crash, with a 68-year-old Port Wakefield man, who was driving a Ford station wagon, taken to Balaklava Hospital with serious but non-life threatening head injuries.

He was later flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The scene of a crash in Balaklava, where a dust storm has reduced visibility. Picture: Jason Katsaras

His passenger was treated at the scene but not seriously injured. A van driver sustained minor injuries while the driver and passenger of the third car were unharmed.

Balaklava Road – and others, including the Augusta Highway – were closed well into the afternoon as dust continued to make visibility extremely difficult and dangerous for motorists.

Strong winds were felt across the state, with gusts of 107km/h being at Cape Willoughby on Kangaroo Island, 91km/h at Cleve and 80km/h at Wudinna and Warburto Point.

Gusts of 46km/h an hour were recorded in the Adelaide CBD at 1pm and a 56km/h wind gust swept through Adelaide Airport late afternoon.

A dusty day in Adelaide. Picture: Dean Martin

The winds put CFS on high alert throughout the day – and two bushfires broke out. A fire started in the backyard of a property at Newman Road, Charleston, at about 3.30pm. A watch and act message was issued, with concerns the fire could take off in a south-easterly direction.

However, the fire was contained within an hour and the warning was dropped. Another fire broke out in the morning on Kangaroo Island, burning at Moores Road near Hog Bay Road and Milkys Road at Haines, southwest of American River.

SA Health warned people with chest or heart conditions stay indoors.

“We know that exposure to high levels of dust can aggravate conditions such as asthma, emphysema, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases”said a spokesman.

Dust storm over the ocean, taken from the Seacliff Hotel balcony. Picture: Chris Massey

Adelaide dust storm - Curated tweets by GregBarila