The residents of Middleton on South Australia's south coast are cleaning up after a flash flood inundated businesses and homes in the town.
Water, mud and debris swamped the town's caravan park, supermarket, pharmacy, medical centre, surf shop and several homes when the Middleton Creek burst its banks during a deluge of rain about 5pm on Saturday.
The speed at which the creek waters rose caught residents off guard. Cars were abandoned in the caravan park, some with their windscreen wipers stuck in position as drivers and passengers fled to safety.
Three local men are being hailed as heroes after wading into chest-deep water to rescue two women stuck in a cabin in the caravan park.
The Middleton CFS is telling locals if they know who the men are, to thank them and buy them a beer.
Resident Rob was in his onsite van with his wife and dog Frankie when they noticed the banks of the creek start to rise.
"It got higher and higher and then, within minutes, it burst its banks and just swamped the whole caravan park," he said.
"There are probably 25, 30 vans and cabins — including ours — that are gone, so it's hard.
"It's horrible."
Keith Spacey's home was also inundated and is now a muddy mess.
He said the he was sitting by the fire, having a nap when his wife told him water was coming into their house.
The water flooded their septic system and raw sewage flooded their bathroom.
The footbridge across the mouth of the creek at Middleton Beach was badly damaged by the torrent and is closed.
Cages of rocks that lined the creek to prevent erosion were hurled on to the beach by the water, along with several trees and household debris.
A group of Middleton residents worked into the evening to try to remove as much detritus as possible before the tide came in.
Others were back at first light on Sunday to help with the clean-up.
The rain and lightning caused havoc elsewhere on the Fleurieu with the organisers of the Port Elliot Show closing stalls and rides early as the lightning and pouring rain rolled in.
Damage was also caused to several roads, including Crows Nest Road at Port Elliot and Hindmarsh Tiers Road at Hindmarsh Valley.
