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ABC News
National

Heavy rain and hail hit Port Augusta, causing flooding and collapsed ceilings

The South Australian town of Port Augusta has been hit by heavy rain and hail, with the State Emergency Service receiving dozens of calls to homes and businesses flooding. 

A cold front passed through the Spencer Gulf town about 4pm on Wednesday, bringing with it about 21mm of rain in half an hour.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) duty forecaster Simon Timke said overall Port Augusta recorded 39.6mm of rainfall while Broken Hill had 39.4mm.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has received more than 50 calls from households and businesses in Port Augusta and the neighbouring town of Stirling North.

"Mainly it's been water into homes, either water coming in through front doors — so lower-level intruding into the house — or rain coming in through the roof, through the ceiling and down walls and light fittings," SES state duty officer Ian Bonython said.

"We have had calls for a couple of collapsed ceilings."

A video shared on social media shows the ceiling of the Port Augusta Woolworths supermarket collapsing and water pouring in to the store.

A Woolworths spokeswoman said no-one was injured and the store had ceased trading until structural engineers said it was safe to reopen.

"Our Port Augusta team did the right thing and acted quickly to evacuate the store in line with our established safety procedures," she said.

The Flinders Ranges towns of Quorn and Orroroo were also hit with heavy rain.

The Country Fire Service is assessing damage to the Orroroo hospital.

"Significant storm activity in the region has caused water damage to the ceiling above a nurses station at Orroroo Hospital. There is currently no impact to services or patient care," an SA Health spokeswoman said.

Thunderstorm warning for northern area

BOM has cancelled a severe thunderstorm warning for damaging winds and heavy rainfall for the Flinders Ranges, the Mid North and the north-east pastoral district, and the Riverland.

An earlier warning for large hailstones has also been cancelled.

"The immediate threat of severe thunderstorms has passed, but the situation will continue to be monitored and further warnings will be issued if necessary," the bureau said.

Michelle Coles, who owns Cinema Augusta with her husband Roger, said her business was badly damaged.

"My cinema is flooded, my screen's wet, my speakers are wet, even my caravan that is under a carport fully covered is damaged on one side," Ms Coles said.

"Everyone will have damage — there is water everywhere — I cannot believe it. It's just a sea of water here."

She said there was ice all over the roads in Port Augusta after hail the size of golf balls.

"It sounded like someone was dropping rocks on your roof and then it just got heavier and heavier and heavier," she said.

"Roger and I couldn't even speak to one another when we were talking and that in the house."

A Port Augusta resident called Rob said it was "dark as heck" in Port Augusta ahead of the rain.

"I went to lock the gates and up there was lightning going everywhere and I thought 'hang on a minute, I'm going to get the heck out of here'," he said.

Most of Adelaide received about 5mm of rail but clouds kept the overnight minimum temperature at a balmy 12 degrees Celsius.

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