Record August rains trigger Telstra outage and flood warnings in South Australia
Heavy August downpours across South Australia shattered rainfall records and forced Telstra to suspend service around Yorktown after water damaged its exchange.
August rainfall in South Australia reached unprecedented levels at several locations, with Mount Lofty recording 56 mm and Lenswood 65 mm, prompting the weather bureau to issue a minor flood warning for the Onkaparinga River at Clarendon Weir and Old Noarlunga. The downpours caused water to enter Telstra’s Yorktown exchange, knocking out telephone and internet service for Yorktown and surrounding communities including Coobowie, Edithburgh, Marion Bay, Point Turton, Port Moorowie, Stenhouse Bay and Warooka; technicians are sourcing replacement parts to restore connectivity.
State Emergency Service volunteers handled almost 90 calls on Monday, dealing with scattered flooding in the Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Ranges, Oakbank, and road wash-outs at Sellicks Beach and Aldinga. Officials warned that additional rain and strong winds could bring more tree falls and rising river levels. Senior forecaster Michael Conway noted the state’s August total of 97 mm in Adelaide places it in the top 10 % of Augusts historically.
Why it matters
The storm disrupts communications and raises flood risk for residents across South Australia.
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