Financial assistance should be expanded and the defence force mobilised to help South Australian Riverland communities hit by River Murray flooding, the state opposition says.
Opposition Leader David Speirs spent the past two days touring the Murraylands and speaking with residents.
He said while there was a huge appreciation for the preparation work, residents and business owners were falling through the cracks.
"One of the biggest areas of concern is loss of power and emergency accommodation and the communication around this simply hasn't been good enough," Mr Speirs said.
"Those who have personally gone to great lengths to protect their properties by building levees or purchasing generators and businesses who stay open are also currently missing out on support."
The SA government previously announced a $51.6 million assistance package, including support for tourism and other businesses, as well as direct emergency payments to homeowners.
This week it allocated an extra $1.2 million for emergency accommodation.
The federal government has provided a disaster recovery allowance to people across nine SA districts.
But Mr Speirs said the assistance should be expanded to include Jobkeeper-style financial benefit to encourage businesses to remain open instead of closing.
He said it should also provide grants to landholders who have taken proactive measures such as building levees or buying back-up power generators but were ineligible for support.
"Expanding grant eligibility criteria, as well as Jobkeeper-style assistance, would mean more people who need help will get support and local economies will be better off," the Liberal leader said.
"It's currently a one-size-fits-all approach but it's clear that that size doesn't fit many."
Mr Speirs said defence force personnel could be a significant help with prevention works as well as going door-to-door talking to people impacted.
Up to 4000 properties in SA are expected to be inundated by the water surging down the Murray, with 450 of those considered permanent residences.
The first peak in the river level is tipped to reach Renmark, near the Victorian border, about December 14.
The peak is expected to reach Mannum, east of Adelaide - where levee strengthening and construction efforts are in full swing - about December 27
After a brief settling of water levels, a second peak is forecast to reach the SA border towards the end of the year.
