Inland Tsunami: South Australia's Flooding Crisis Compared to Sydney Harbour

The contrasts in Australia's weather patterns often take the form of ironies — and there's an especially stark one currently on show.

While South Australia's south is desperate for rainfall, a corner of the state's outback is enduring a historic flood event. This scale of incongruity between the nation's parched and saturated regions has been particularly striking.

"This one — I've never seen anything like it before," said outback pilot Trevor Wright, referring to the water making its way down the Cooper Creek. He described the situation as an inland tsunami.

Residents in the remote region of Innamincka have been told they could be isolated for weeks as floodwaters from western Queensland flow over the border, with the volume prompting comparisons to that of Sydney Harbour.

The flooding in South Australia's far north has been likened to an "inland tsunami". (Supplied: WrightsAir)

What's the situation?

Innamincka, usually isolated by distance, is now cut off by a rising torrent. The township, with less than two dozen residents, is over 1,000 kilometres from Adelaide and about 30kms from the Queensland border.

Floodwaters creeping up to the town of Innamincka in remote South Australia. (Supplied: Ali Matthews)

The Bureau of Meteorology reported that the water level at a nearby waterhole this week reached 13.39 metres, surpassing the previous record of 11.85 metres from the 1974 flood.

"It's above '74 levels at this time; she's a big one — historic event." - Ali Matthews

The State Emergency Service (SES) has deployed crews, vehicles, and drones to the region, constructing a sand wall to protect the township.

Where is the water coming from?

The water is flowing from record rainfall in Queensland. Steve Turton, an adjunct professor at Central Queensland University, stated that the rainfall in the Channel Country broke records that date back over a century.

"This is quite unusual given it occurred late in the wet season and was not associated with a La Niña event." - Steve Turton

How much water is there?

The flow rate at nearby Nappa Merrie has reached 600 gigalitres per day, which is three times the amount of water that moved through the River Murray during the 2022/23 floods.

"This is greater than the Sydney Harbour moving into north-east SA each day." - Chris Kent

How long could the flooding last?

The Cooper Creek is expected to continue impacting the area for months, with water expected to reach Lake Eyre in early May.

"This is not a short-term event. We're going to see water in the area for a significant amount of time." - Robert Charlton

Residents are urged to stay clear of the region as the community focuses on their needs during this unprecedented event.