SA: Floods to strand some for two weeks

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2000
SA: Floods to strand some for two weeks

ADELAIDE, Feb 14 AAP - Tourists and residents stranded by floods in South Australia's
far-north could be stuck for as long as two weeks.

Police said today the situation in many areas was unchanged, with most dirt roads impassable.

Travellers were advised not to go further north than Port Augusta.

The weather bureau said 150mm of rain had fallen in the far-north in the past week,
with more forecast for later this week.

Those stranded included about 150 tourists and many truck drivers, police said.

Most had taken shelter at stations, but some remained stuck at Alice Springs.

All accommodation in the north had been taken up, including what was available in the
outback towns of Coober Pedy and Marla.

Police dropped supplies of water and fresh food to some motorists over the weekend
and a spokeswoman said there had been no further requests for food.

The Stuart Highway remained closed at Kulgera in the Northern Territory, preventing
road trains from getting in or out of Alice Springs.

The Palmer River in the lower Northern Territory was still rising yesterday and there
were concerns that the Finke River bridge could collapse.

There also were reports that supplies of fresh food were running low in some areas,
including Oodnadatta.

On the upside, pastoralists said the heavy rains would provide extra feed for grazing
stock later this year.

AAP tjd/lw/bwl

KEYWORD: FLOODS SA DAYLEAD

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