Murray Bridge rainstorm prompts almost 60 calls to State Emergency Service

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Emergency services have responded to almost 60 calls from help around Murray Bridge after a heavy rain band passed through on Sunday afternoon.

The rural city copped almost 50 millimetres of rain between 3.30 and 7pm, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

That’s about 2.5 times as much as it would usually get during the whole month of March.

Dozens of homes had water come in through doorways, window fixtures and ceilings.

Among the worst off were the residents of a home on the Old Princes Highway on the east side, where a kitchen ceiling collapsed; and properties on Standen Street, Todd Avenue and Monash Terrace which were flooded.

A number of businesses were also affected to some extent, including a printing plant on Rayson Street, a secondhand retailer and a chemist on Adelaide Road, the cinema on First Street and a bookshop on Bridge Street.

Volunteers from the State Emergency Service dashed around the city, delivering sandbags, clearing drains and protecting lives and property, backed up by Country Fire Service and Metropolitan Fire Service personnel, SA Police and Murray Bridge council staff.

At Murray Bridge Showground, they rescued the occupants of a motor home which became surrounded by water.

The heaviest rain seemed to be limited to Murray Bridge itself.

Only one Mannum resident called the SES for help, and no calls came from Tailem Bend or elsewhere around the region.

However, the CFS did need to help a driver who rolled their car on Orland Road at Kepa in the thick of the rainstorm.