Friday, July 03, 2015

Region ready as forecast improves

Weather forecasts for the weekend look increasingly positive as agencies from across the Region work to ensure all precautions are in place.

Horizons regional recovery manager Ged Shirley says information from Metservice and Horizons’ own modeling indicates that although some rainfall is expected, this is unlikely to cause a concern in terms of river levels.

“An active front coming in from the west looks set to bring rain from Taranaki down to Horowhenua. However this feature is moving through quite quickly.

“While we are expecting to see 30-40mm of rain in the central North Island and Ruapehu District, further south should be relatively sheltered until Horowhenua where a heavy rain warning is in place. Rain should clear overnight tonight and although there may be enough to dislodge the odd slip around the Region, we are not expecting anything too serious in terms of increased river levels or flooding.

“We do ask that drivers continue to take care on the roads, adhere to any road closures and only use rural roads when it is absolutely necessary.

“Crews are working hard to restore the roading network. However, there are still some road closures in place and we ask that people refrain from sightseeing or unnecessary travel while this work is underway.

“Stopbanks around the region have been repaired in preparation for the weekend, but we will have teams on standby to raise and improve affected stopbanks if more rainfall occurs.”

The Ministry of Social Development’s Enhanced Taskforce Green work programme began work in the Region today, with one team in Mangamahu Valley. Three more teams will start work on Monday in Marton, Waitotara, and Wanganui.

Anyone interested in obtaining assistance from Taskforce Green workers is advised to contact their local council coordinator, who will then prioritise the tasks in accordance with district needs. These coordinators are:

Wanganui – Neil Hooker, 027 343 7504
Rangitikei – Johan Cullis 027 450 0296
South Taranaki – Phil Waite, 027 295 1983

The state of local emergency for the Wanganui District was lifted at 12 noon Thursday 2 July.

Less than 20 displaced families remain in hotel accommodation in Wanganui as welfare work continues to aid those who have been displaced by the floods.

Applications for assistance from the Manawatu-Wanganui Disaster Relief Fund Trust are now open, with applicants asked to apply via their local city or district council.

Local authorities will assess the needs of their communities before forwarding their funding request to the Trust. The funding round will close onFriday 24 July 2015.

The Disaster Relief Fund Trust was set up to meet the needs of those adversely affected by a disaster event. It is available for the welfare needs of families and individuals in the first instanceand then, depending on resources, assisting with the restoration of community assets and providing support for small businesses.

The latest information about road conditions and closures is available via local council websites, with information about the state highway network online at www.nzta.govt.nz

Facebook page www.facebook.com/civildefencemanawatuwanganui is acting as a hub for emergency information and people are encouraged to keep an eye on this page for any further updates.

ENDS

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