Dunedin July Severe Weather update #15
1pm, Sunday 23 July 2017

Dunedin Civil Defence Emergency Management continues to respond to issues related to heavy rain on Friday and Saturday.

The rain has now cleared and much of the focus is now on clean up and repairs following significant damage in parts of the wider city.

Dunedin Civil Defence Controller Sue Bidrose says about 130 properties – most of them in the Henley and Taieri areas – remain evacuated.

“Some of these residents may not be able to return to their homes for several days. Anyone who cannot yet return home and needs emergency accommodation should contact us on 03 477 4000.”

All but two of the 100 properties evacuated in lower Outram have now been able to return home. All but one of the 12 properties evacuated due to a slip in Ravenswood Street, St Clair have been able to return home.

Anyone whose property has been damaged by floodwaters, slips or weather related issuers should contact their insurers as soon as possible.

Please treat all floodwater as being potentially contaminated.

Dr Bidrose says the other priority today will be on clearing slips on main arterial roads.

State Highway 88 from Maia to Roseneath is closed due a large slip on the road. Residents in this area can get in and out using Upper Junction Road. This road is only open to light vehicles, it is not suitable for trucks. NZ Transport Agency is working on the slip and hope to reopen the road by the end of the day. People inside the closure area can also use SH88 to move between the two slip sites. Port Chalmers residents can use Blueskin Rd and Mt Cargill Rd to get in and out of the city.

Dr Bidrose says a serious vehicle accident at Portobello Road near Macandrew Bay this morning temporarily closed the road again. The road has now re-opened to residents only access from Doon Street through to Tidewater Drive, Harwood. There is debris and surface flooding and in some places the road is down to one lane only.

Work to clear a slip on Harington Point Road just past the turnoff to Harwood will start today, although later than planned due to the crash. Residents on the Otago Peninsula north of Harwood remain effectively cut off, with no alternative access route available. Otakou Marae has carried out door knocking in the area and are supporting welfare needs.

Motorists should continue to avoid all non-essential travel today, particularly in the Taieri and Peninsula areas. Do not go sightseeing.

“People need to be aware there will be widespread debris and damage on roads, and motorists must drive carefully and to the conditions. Those driving should also be aware of the late frost which has made many roads icy,” Dr Bidrose says.

A number of roads remain closed due to flooding – a full list of road closures and conditions is available online at www.dunedin.govt.nz/road-conditions. State highway closures are on the NZ Transport Agency website at http://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/.


Power outages
Around 60 houses remain without power – most of them in Leith Valley and Henley. Leith Valley will be the priority for the Aurora crews today and power is expected to be returned to those homes later today. There is currently no estimated time for restoring power to properties in Henley where there has been damage to both poles and lines. Aurora General Manager operations and risk John Campbell says there will need to be some rebuilding when the waters subside.

Parks and recreation
Dog owners taking their dogs along the Silverstream Flood Bank track in Mosgiel are advised to take extreme care. The high rainfall in the Silverstream catchment may have swept possum carcasses poisoned with 1080 downstream. Keep dogs on a lead at all times; carcasses will be extremely toxic to dogs if eaten. OSPRI has been asked to patrol the area and remove any carcasses.

There have been two slips onto the Frasers Gully walking track. Please stay away from this area until further notice. Second Beach walking track in St Clair is also closed due to a slip.

The Dunedin premier club rugby semi finals are taking place today at Hancock Park. The DCC has not had to divert contractors from any flood related recovery to achieve this outcome.

Keep up to date
For the public to keep up to date with what is happening and for advice about what to do, 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

Anyone with flood-related queries or issues should call 03 477 4000.

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