Short storm brings temporary flooding

Dunedin (Monday, 13 February 2017) – A short but intense burst of rain and hail has caused flooding in parts of the city this afternoon.

To date, the Dunedin City Council has responded to 14 houses affected by flooding. If anyone is concerned about water entering their property, they should call the DCC on 03 477 4000 and we will lodge it with the contractor. If people think their safety is at risk, they should call emergency services on 111. If property is damaged, people should contact their insurer.

To date we have received more than 75 calls due to the heavy rain and this number is likely to rise.

There was isolated flooding throughout the city, in particular on George Street and St Andrew Street.

Playfair Street, Oxford Street, Surrey Street, Forbury Road, Bayview Road and Glen Road were flooded, as was the area around Wharf and Fox Streets. Parts of Mosgiel and Kaikorai also had surface flooding.

We are reviewing the performance of the mud tanks during this event. At this early stage we believe they performed as expected given the intensity of the rain. We are currently about halfway through cleaning the city’s 8000+ mud tanks. The focus has been on areas at risk of flooding and where grit is used during winter.

Due to the short but intense nature of the rainfall, floodwaters are receding quickly but people should keep an eye on the DCC website for any road closures. Accurate rainfall data is not yet available, but estimates the DCC has received are that 9.5mm fell in 15 minutes.

The Dunedin City Library was evacuated for about 45 minutes after water leaked into a light fitting on the ground floor. The Fire Service responded, gave the building the all clear and it is now open to the public again.

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