Rising Murray River puts South Australians on evacuation alert
Thousands of homes may be hit by flooding in South Australia in the coming days as the Murray River continued to rise on Christmas Day.
The South Australian State Emergency Service has an emergency flood warning in place from the Murray at the NSW and Victorian border to Lake Alexandrina after flows reached between 190 and 220 gigalitres of water a day.
About 4000 homes are expected to be impacted by flooding as the Murray nears its peak.
The Murray River is flooding in South Australia.Credit:SA State Emergency Service
Residents have been advised to consider evacuating and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said on Saturday that the state was prepared for the big water event.
“The peak of the river flows going through Renmark will occur at some point in the next 48-72 hours and that peak will be just above the 1931 flood level that was experienced close to a century ago,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“This is a big water event, it does present challenges, but we are as better prepared as we’ve been for any other circumstance like this in the state’s history.”
The SES issued one new emergency alert on Christmas Day, warning the Bolto shack community near Mannum – 85km east of Adelaide – that it is now isolated after floodwaters closed a local road. The warning asks residents to shelter in place as it was now unsafe to evacuate.
Floodwaters cut off roads in South Australia.Credit:SA State Emergency Service
The Murray River was recorded at 18.54 metres AHD at a lock just downstream of Renmark – near the Victorian border – on Christmas Day, according a South Australian government website.
The estimated river peak at the lock is expected to be between 18.4 and 18.6 metres on Wednesday, with the river level normally sitting around 2.2 metres lower during non-flood periods.
More than 3000 properties were disconnected from power on Saturday, with this number expected to increase through to Boxing Day.
Residents are being urged to be extra vigilant and to prepare to carry out an emergency plan.
Meanwhile, a one-in-50-year flood hit a remote town in the Northern Territory on Saturday as authorities warn more rain is on the way for the rest of the territory.
In the span of six hours, 157mm of rain inundated the town of Timber Creek, around 300km south-west of Katherine.
Heavy rainfall may also lead to flash flooding through the Carpentaria, Gregory, Tanami, and Barkly districts.
The Northern Territory Emergency Service is urging the public to take extra precaution and to avoid driving through flooded areas.
with AAP
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