Plane loads of supplies will be flown to outback South Australia after mass flooding cut off road and rail routes to delivery food and essential goods.
Fresh and frozen produce, milk, meat and toilet paper are being air-dropped to the Opal mining town of Coober Pedy, in the state’s north, about 846 km from Adelaide.
The first 20-tonne plane load of supplies will leave the Royal Australian Air Force’s Edinburgh base on Monday with more deliveries expected twice daily until later this week.
Heavy rainfall caused the mass flooding that last week cut all road access via the Stuart Hwy.
The main road connects SA and the Northern Territory and has created supply issues for areas across both jurisdictions.
Repairs to the train and road routes between the jurisdictions could take weeks to complete.
The flooding prompted Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, who is the state Covid co-ordinator, to declare a statewide Major Emergency for two weeks.
“There has been significant damage caused to rail and road infrastructure over the last few days and this is threatening food security in some areas of SA, NT and WA,” he said.
”A declaration of a major emergency will ensure a co-ordinated, state approach to ensure food security and provide support if required by isolated communities.”
