A ONE-IN-50 year monsoonal downpour dumping record rain across much of South Australia has cut off towns, stranded motorists, flooded businesses and brought smiles of joy to drought-stricken pastoralists.

Iron Triangle towns hit by flooding were bracing for more damage last night as storms continued to sweep across the region amid warnings of flash floods.

More rain is expected today as the massive band of tropical air and cloud contracts, but experts say the drenching is a one-off - the drought has not necessarily broken.

Record or near-record rainfall fell on a range of centres, cutting off Whyalla and flooding Hawker, where a caravan park was evacuated.

Homes and businesses in Whyalla, Port Pirie and Hawker were flooded and residents sandbagged properties.

About 20 homes in Hawker were at risk of a previously dry dam bursting, while in Whyalla, the SES responded to more than 150 calls for help and about 60 homes were damaged.

Further north, towns including Woomera and Coober Pedy suffered flood damage, while Oodnadatta residents face a diet of bush damper and black tea after the fresh food supply truck due on Thursday was blocked by floodwaters.

A light aircraft was able to land at the airstrip yesterday morning to supply the hospital with urgent medication, but the 100-plus residents will have to wait for the roads to be reopened before they get fresh milk, bread, fruit and vegetables.

"There is plenty of frozen meat and tinned baked beans and spaghetti at the local store but the milk and bread has just about run out," Oodnadatta Hospital remote area nurse Joan Wilson said.
Among the biggest falls in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday, Hawker received 125mm, Corny Point 107mm and Parawa 105mm.

Yunta had the highest rainfall between 9am-3pm with 54mm.

A flood watch remains in force this morning for Greater Adelaide, Mount Lofty Ranges, Mid North, Flinders, Murraylands, South-East and Pastoral districts.

The alert is a notice of possible future flooding and is not the more imminent Flood Warning.

A warning of flash floods and damaging winds was also current for the Northeast Pastoral, Flinders, Mid North, Riverland, Murraylands and Upper South East district northeast of Keith.

The deluge comes just days after SA grappled with bushfires and arsonists amid one of the worst droughts on record.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Graham Cowan said the weather pattern was unusual.

"While to get an infeed of tropical air in summer is not unusual, to produce such significant rainfall totals in such a short time is relatively unusual," he said.

"To get rainfall totals of more than 100mm over 24 hours in areas suggests this is a one-in-50 year event. We have not gone through the figures yet but I'd expect there would be record or near-record rainfall figures in a number of areas.

"We are not talking about the drought being broken but for some pastoralists, this will tide them over for some period to come."

SA Farmers Federation president Wayne Cornish said even the floods in the Far North would bring a smile to residents' faces.

"People won't knock the rain and they will even grin and bear the floods because of the very significant benefits they bring to pastoralists running cattle and sheep stations," he said.

"The pastoralists in the Far North rely on summer rains more so than winter ones and this rainfall represents a return to normal for the region, some parts of which haven't had decent rains since 2001."

Mr Cornish said that within days of the rain, new vegetation would sprout, providing stock feed.

"Although farmers have completed this season's harvest, many also have stock on their property, so the wet weather is very welcome," he said.

The only downside was a fear that continued humid weather conditions over the next few days could lead to grape mildew in viticultural regions.

At Thurlga Station in the Gawler Ranges, resident Katrina Morris was celebrating more than 55mm of rain.

"It is a blessing," she said.

"It has gone from one of the hardest summers to one of the best as some of the dams and creeks around here have not run for over 10 years."

SES deputy chief officer Stuart Macleod said authorities were in contact with numerous people stranded in the state's north.

"There are still some groups trapped in a number of places there but they are on high ground," he said. "They have protection and food and water for at least a couple of days."

Those stranded - a mix of campers and workers - could not be reached while planes and helicopters were grounded by the weather.

"As soon as we get some aerial operation into place, then we'll be able to reassess and drop food and supplies in if necessary," Mr Macleod said. "One of the difficulties is being able to move around and find information.

"We are relying a lot on telephones and people calling in, so we are aware of a number of groups.

"I guess we are just continually looking for any other groups that we've missed, so the sooner we can get aircraft into the area the better.

"Potentially, some of those Outback areas can be cut off for days because of the high water levels."
Mr Macleod urged people not to ignore road closures and to stay away from flooded areas.

"We would recommend most strongly that no-one enters flood waters regardless of what sized vehicle and what experience of driving they have," he said.

Transport Department spokesman Peter Short said the penalty for ignoring a road closure could be as high as $1250.

"It is also extremely dangerous, he said.

"It might appear OK where these people are but these tracks are 200km-300km between locations and they may not be aware of the creeks that are flowing.

"They end up getting stuck in the middle of two locations, then the SES and police have to go and rescue them."

Original Source: Brad Crouch, News.com.au

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