Dunedin April Severe Weather update #4

8.15pm, Wednesday, 12 April 2017

There have been no major issues to date from heavy rain, however Dunedin City Council will continue to closely monitor the situation overnight.

Around 44mm of rain was recorded in Dunedin to 7pm today. An updated MetService forecast is expected around 9pm today.

Civil Defence Controller Ruth Stokes says the DCC has to date not actively evacuated any residents, and there had so far been no reports of flooded properties.

As a precaution, the DCC has established four information centres throughout the city which can also potentially be used as welfare centres if the need develops. The centres are located at:

· South Dunedin – Caledonian Gymnasium, 265 Andersons Bay Road

· North Dunedin – George Street Normal School hall, 989 George Street

· Mosgiel – Mosgiel Memorial Park Gymnasium, Gordon Road

“Anyone who is feeling anxious about floodwaters should self-evacuate and stay with friends or family in higher ground; or contact the DCC on 03 477 4000, or visit one of the information centres,” says Mrs Stokes.

Provisions for emergency accommodation are in place should the need arise. Anyone affected by flooding who needs emergency accommodation should call the DCC on 03 477 4000.

The Emergency Operations Centre will remain activated in a monitoring mode overnight.

Sandbags

People concerned about rising water and wanting to divert running water can pick up sandbags from four points across the city. Please note that if streets are already full of ponding water, sandbagging is ineffective against flooding occurring. The pick-up points are:

· North Dunedin – Opoho sportsground car park (Warden Street) beside the tennis court – this site is no longer manned, although bags and sand are still available

· South Dunedin – carpark behind St Clair Tennis Club, Victoria Road

· Mosgiel – Memorial Park car park beside the stadium/Mosgiel Memorial Gymnasium

· Ocean Grove – Tomahawk Lagoon Outlet (on the right hand side of Tomahawk Road) this site is no longer manned, although bags and sand are still available

Please bring a shovel with you to assist in maintaining the sandbag supply.

River levels

Flood management staff from Otago Regional Council are actively monitoring Dunedin rivers, in particular The Water of Leith, Lindsay Creek and Silver Stream. They will have staff on the ground throughout the night to visually monitor the rivers, and will also closely monitor live flow data, which is also available to the public at http://water.orc.govt.nz/WaterInfo

ORC is providing DCC with regular updates on river levels, based on modelling the data from live flow information and updated weather reports. They are working closely with DCC to ensure there is time for warnings if there is potential for flooding leading to areas that may need to be evacuated.

Roading & stormwater

Teams have been out all day working to clear debris from mud tank grates and gutters to allow water to flow. A couple of minor slips on Portobello Road were cleared this morning. Additional crews will be working throughout the night.

Highcliff Road, from Camp Road to just above Portobello Road, was closed at 6pm due to safety reasons and will remain closed overnight. Emergency access for Sandymount Road residents is via Hoopers Inlet and emergency access for Seal Point Road Residents is via Pukehiki.

Drive to the conditions. Please do not drive on flooded roads as the vehicle wash can increase flooding on private properties.

A full list of road closures and conditions is available online at www.dunedin.govt.nz/road-conditions.

The stormwater system continues to work well, screens are clear and all pumps are available.

Sportgrounds/Freedom camping sites closed

All DCC sportsgrounds are currently closed. Due to the weather all freedom camping area sites are closed until further notice. Campers are advised to find alternative an accommodation site tonight.

General preparedness

We are advising people to be prepared. Things you can do include:

· If your basement is prone to flooding lift items that could be damaged by water off the floor. Be sure garden sprays and other chemicals won’t be affected.

· Check grates near your house for blockages and keep them clear of leaves and other debris to avoid water building up and affecting your property.

For the public to keep up to date with what is happening and for advice about what to do if the rain gets worse, please see the DCC website, DCC social media, listen to the radio and use other media.

Please refer family, friends and neighbours to these communication channels.

www.dunedin.govt.nz

www.facebook.com/DunedinCityCouncil

https://twitter.com/DnCityCouncil

ENDS

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