Perilous
Times
Another round of Storms and flash floods sweep across South
Australia
A clean-up is underway in the Barossa Valley and other parts of
South Australia after fierce thunderstorms.
The downpour and strong wind gusts brought down trees and led to
flash flooding late on Tuesday.
Emergency crews rescued a woman at Eudunda after her car got swept
along a flooded road.
Swan Reach recorded nearly 70 millimetres of rain.
Nuriootpa and Kapunda had readings of more than 40 millimetres.
Peter Scott from the State Emergency Service said there was less
damage than when storms hit late last year.
"We don't believe there's been too much ... with the last floods
in the area we had mudslides and everything else," he said.
"It appears to just be water damage. Crews are still assessing the
full extent."
Ian Light from the Tanunda Hotel said the main street flooded and
water entered some premises.
"The water just can't get away from the main street in the drains,
so a lot of businesses are experiencing a lot of water in their
premises," he said as the rain fell.
"We've got water in different spots coming through the pub and
down our cellar."
At Stockwell, the publican Daryl Gustavsson described the storms
as ferocious.
"Some of the biggest, meanest blackest clouds I've ever seen in my
life," he said.
He says part of his hotel had now flooded three times since
December.
Barossa grape growers are now checking whether the storms caused
any serious damage to their crops.
Ebenezer grower Adrian Hoffmann had 79 millimetres of rain in just
under an hour.
He said there was a risk of soil erosion, diseases such as powdery
mildew, enlarged fruit and split grapes.
"For some growers it's going to be an absolute disaster and for
other growers it will be a little bit of a blessing that they've
received a bit more rainfall," he said.
Barossa growers expect to begin harvesting in about a fortnight.