With the Stuart Highway remaining closed due to flooding, towns such as Coober Pedy are reporting critical supply shortages.
A 250km stretch of the key freight route into the Northern Territory is still off limits after record rains lashed parts of South Australia.
There are reports of some Northern-Territory bound road trains having to take a 3000-kilometre detour to reach their destination.
The Stuart Highway remains closed between Glendambo and Coober Pedy, with Outback Roads SA reporting that the situation will be reassessed at midday today.
But with towns like Coober Pedy being cut off since the weekend downpour, there are concerns that supplies are running thin.
The Advertiser reports critical supply shortages in the town, particularly for medication and fresh produce.
“It comes as the prolonged road closures in the Far North have forced truck drivers carrying fresh produce to detour thousands of kilometres through NSW and Queensland,” reported the Adelaide newspaper.
“Coober Pedy has been isolated from deliveries since a weekend downpour flooded the Stuart Highway at Glendambo.”
The town’s Business Association chairman Jason Wright told The Advertiser insulin levels are at desperate levels. “The chemist has expressed to me they’re getting to the point where something needs to be done.”
He continued, “By Saturday, the IGA tells me we will be on long life milk.”
Earlier this week, Giles MP Eddie Hughes called on the state government to discuss what’s needed given the Stuart Highway closure. “Contingency planning should be in place to assist the far north of our state,” he said.
Hughes told The Advertiser, ““Businesses are closing their doors because they’re running out of stock.
“There needs to be a considered and urgent response so the community is supported.
“We’re basically in the dark, we do not know what’s going on.”
Outback Roads SA will provide updates following today’s assessment of the Stuart Highway at midday. For the latest, click here.