New SES Warnings Issued For River Murray As Floods Worsen

South Aussies in flood affected areas can access 'financial counselling assistance' to help relieve stress, as the disaster on the River Murray deepens.

Businesses have begun to close along the River, after SES issued a flood emergency warning for areas from Renmark to the Murray Mouth.

Peak flood-waters are expected to hit Renmark around Boxing Day, forecasting the worst deluge since 1965.

The Premier said efforts to evacuate continue to shore up the region’s levees.

"A key day that we'll be keeping a close eye on the peak coming through Renmark, and then progressively coming down throughout the system through there," said Peter Malinauskas.

Evacuations have already begun for hundreds of locals around the region.

It’s anticipated around 4000 homes will be submerged by end of the month, including 250 businesses. 

The South Australian Government says the peak is due in Renmark between 190 and 220 gigalitres per day – around half the amount of water in the Sydney Harbour.

The river height has surpassed flooding in 1931, higher than the 1974 flood, but not as high as 1956.

“Naturally we continue to monitor all this very closely including ongoing events that happen further in the catchment area in terms of rainfalls … because of course we don’t know what weather events will occur upstream in the catchment, whether or not there’s a tropical cyclone during the course of the summer.”

- SA Premier, Peter Malinauskas

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