The feared Christchurch high tide came and went at 5.30pm without adding to the city's flood problems.

Both the Avon and Heathcote rivers and the tide are continuing to drop. The fear that the tide would exacerbate the flooding problems, particularly along the Heathcote, did not eventuate which pleased Christchurch City Council staff who were kept busy tackling problems all day long. At 5.30pm a critical river flow gauge near the Opawa Bridge showed that levels were dropping. The same applied with the gauge near the Princess Margaret Hospital. The Water Services Manager, Allan Watson, said it was good news that the river levels were now dropping. But it left the city with a great deal of mopping up to do. City Council crews will remain in the trouble spots until 8pm and from then on normal stand-by procedures will apply which means that emergency staff are available for call out. Mr Watson said mopping up would begin tomorrow when maintenance crews would be fully engaged in problem areas. end

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