Recovery after a storm

Storm events can occur suddenly and catch us off guard, leaving lasting impacts. There's a lot to organise in the aftermath of a severe storm to make sure your property and animals are safe.

You also need to manage the welfare of people working with and for you, who may have been exposed to dangerous situations.

Use the following information when assessing the damage and starting the recovery process.

Health and safety

SafeWork SA will investigate all workplace health and safety concerns and advise what to do next.

Make sure you also know how to handle animal safety in emergencies, including:

• getting management support after a storm
• helping lost or injured animals
• disposing of deceased animals.

Crop care

Crops must be assessed as soon as possible after a serious weather event, to determine the best management strategy before damage is obscured by new growth.

Hail damage

Vines can suffer from hailstorms, which may cause:

• loss of leaves and fruit
• bruised, torn, tattered, or holed leaves
• damaged inflorescences or bunches, which may show days later when they start to shrivel
• broken, bruised, or scarred shoots and trunks
• damaged compound or lateral buds, affecting the development of fruiting buds for the following season.

If the majority of shoots are significantly damaged, they can be cut off down to the basal buds and the vine left to re-shoot from secondary and tertiary buds.

Consider applying a foliar fertiliser to help vines recover from the stress of hail damage. This should be delayed until the majority of shoots have 5 leaves separated.

Soil flooding

Excessive rain can lead to a risk of fungal disease. Spray applications should be planned around timing, target, treatment, and technique.

Consider Delta T and surface temperature inversions when spraying after storms.

Pests

Crops are vulnerable to pests after heavy storms, and timing of baiting is critical – high populations of mice can cause up to 5% damage each night. Take these steps to prevent infestations:

1. Apply broad scale zinc phosphide bait according to the label.
2. Use bait at seeding or within 24 hours to increase effectiveness and rebait through the season as needed.
3. Monitor paddocks regularly.
4. Minimise sources of food and shelter after harvest and prior to sowing. Control weeds and volunteer crops along fence lines and clean up residual grain by grazing or rolling stubbles.