A weekend of relentless and record-breaking rainfall has triggered widespread flooding across South Australia, leading to dramatic emergency rescues, hundreds of calls for assistance, and major road closures during the Monday morning commute.

Emergency services were pushed to their limits as parts of the state recorded unprecedented August rainfall totals. Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills was drenched with 110 millimetres of rain, while Coromandel East recorded 101mm. The State Emergency Service (SES) reported receiving more than 530 requests for assistance, with the majority of calls coming from Adelaide's hard-hit northern suburbs.

Dramatic Rescues at Hillier

The severe weather took a dangerous turn early Monday morning when emergency services were called to a flooded intersection at Wingate and Winzor roads in Hillier, north of Adelaide. Just after 4:50 AM, a car drove into deep floodwaters and became trapped.

A male and female occupant managed to escape the vehicle by climbing through the windows, reaching safety at the side of the road with the help of responding officers. However, while police were assisting the pair, a second motorist drove into the same flooded stretch and also became stranded. The male driver of the second vehicle was safely extracted by police.

Both vehicles were quickly overwhelmed by the fast-flowing currents and washed away. Police believe both cars are now submerged somewhere in the Gawler River. Miraculously, no injuries were reported from either incident.

Senior Constable Daniel Isaacson urged motorists to exercise extreme caution, noting that while the occupants made it to safety, their vehicles are likely total losses due to the power of the floodwaters.

Commuter Chaos and Road Closures

The aftermath of the storm has caused significant disruption for commuters heading into Adelaide. A major section of Port Wakefield Road heading southbound, near the Salisbury Highway intersection, was closed on Monday morning due to severe flooding. Authorities have advised motorists heading toward the city to seek alternative routes and expect heavy delays.

In the Adelaide Hills, structural hazards have also emerged. Gorge Road at Paracombe has been closed in both directions between Corkscrew Road and Torrens Hill Road due to fallen rocks and debris on the roadway. SA Police have advised drivers to completely avoid the area while cleanup crews work to make the passage safe.

The weekend's deluge also saw major local landmarks submerged, with Broadview Oval experiencing significant flooding, and Goodwood Road heavily inundated on Sunday night. Local council and emergency crews remain on high alert as they continue to assess damage and clear blocked roadways across the metropolitan area.