State Government ministers and the SES upgraded forecasts at a press conference in Adelaide today from 165GL announced a week ago, and warned Mannum was under threat of flooding in its town centre.

SA Power Networks is now estimating 3200 homes will have their power cut, and Premier Malinauskas announced another Riverland visit again next Tuesday to reveal a support package and the appointment of a recovery coordinator.

“We are also rapidly turning our minds to Mannum (32km from Murray Bridge) and its levee system,” he said, adding that up to 4000 properties could be impacted by the higher water flows.

“Significant rain interstate over the past week increases the likelihood of flooding, particularly for low lying Riverland and Murray land communities.

“State government agencies are working around the clock with councils, landholders and communities to prepare for the huge volume of water coming across the border.”

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said SA Power Networks estimated 3200 homes would have power cut, and that roads including the main Bookpurnong Road connecting Loxton and Berri will be closed as soon as this weekend.

“This is a natural disaster and we are waiting on the SES as to how we respond to that,” he said.

Some houses may get no warning before power is cut, some may receive days or weeks warning, Minister Koutsantonis said it was most important to keep people safe.

This included closing and moving the Waikerie ferry and closing more roads as floodwater rises, with Koutsantonis saying: “Safety first, access second – we want to make sure no one loses their lives in floodwaters”.

The government is also working with fruit growers fearing flooded pumps will threaten vital irrigation needed to keep their multi-million-dollar grape, almond and citrus plantations alive.

“Climate change is having a massive impact,” Koutsantonis said.

“We are going through this with the flood, we are going through this with the storms and we’re coming up to bushfires.”

There is no change in forecasts at the higher end of river flows, which remain at a “moderate” probability of 200 GL a day peak flow or the lesser probability of reaching 220 GL per day.

The SES announced via social media today that with the increased river level predictions “we will now be referring to the River Murray high flow event as a flood event”.

SES chief executive officer Chris Beattie assured that there were hundreds of thousands of sand bags available to protect homes with distribution centres opened on the weekend.

But households would be limited to 20 bags as this was adequate to protect the average home, but further requirements could be discussed with the SES.

The SES Was also in regular contact with the Australian Defence Force as part of emergency planning.

Meetings have been held at river towns over the past week and another is being held for shack owners – with an estimated 80 per cent owned by city residents, in Norwood next week.

Plans were also well underway to move vulnerable residents from the Renmark Hospital and a nearby nursing home as levee work continues in the lowest lying town settlement in the Riverland.