Heavy rain has caused chaos across large parts of South Australia … and left multiple campers stranded at an iconic Flinders Ranges campsite.
The dramas followed a weekend of heavy rainfall and storm activity across the state, with several towns recording record-breaking August rainfall totals.
The ABC reports that 15 vehicles or so became trapped at the Wilpena Pound campground in the Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park, 430 kilometres north of Adelaide, as masses of water covered the exit roads.
One camper, Sandra Douglas, said the park had sent out a general message to everyone advising them that if they wanted to get out, they had to pack up and get out immediately.
Wet weather has made life challenging for caravanners ... even when they are able to leave the campground. PIC: Cizza
However, with plenty of food stocks she elected to stay put.
“Even if we were able to get out of the campground … the roads out of Wilpena Pound north to Blinman and south to Hawker are closed as well,” she said. “It’s stopped raining now mostly, so as long as the walks aren’t across creek beds then we should be right and I’ll get a lot of walks in while we’re here.”
Elsewhere in the state, SA Police said three people had been rescued after driving into floodwaters, and the State Emergency Service said it had received more than 530 requests for assistance
Although rain across the regions was patchy, SES Flinders and Gulf district officer Mark Wenman told the ABC that volunteers were called out to 25 ‘larger scale’ incidents.
“Quite a number of floodings, and trees down, and trees on vehicles and driveways,” Mr Wenman told the ABC. “There were also reports of damage to houses, including leaking roofs and localised flooding.”
Having heard reports of 50 to 100mm of rain in parts of the Flinders, Mr Wenman said some people had become isolated by the rain.
“Once it starts raining up there it normally only takes 20mm and the creeks start running,” he said.
Campers, of course, are regularly warned about the dangers that heavy rain can present, and how quickly conditions can change.
A couple of years ago, for example, dozens of campers in outback Queensland were left stranded by rising waters over Easter.
When emergency services responded to a call for help, they found 29 campers stranded at East Leichhardt Dam, 40 kilometres south-east of Mount Isa.
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