Dunedin July Severe Weather update 11.55pm, Friday 21 July 2017

Flooding in parts of Mosgiel and the Taieri Plain has meant some residents have been evacuated.

Dunedin Civil Defence Controller Sue Bidrose says due to the rising Taieri River, affected residents in the Henley township and in the upper Taieri ponding area have been evacuated.

Residents in the Gordon Road spillway area have been told to evacuate. Search and rescue personnel are door knocking in this area.

Civil Defence is advising residents in the lower Taieri ponding area (due to the rising Owhiro Stream) to self evacuate and Police and the Fire Service have door knocked in this area. We will also be contacting some residents in low-lying areas of Ocean View and some residents in Silverstream Drive advising them to consider self evacuation. We are currently paying close attention to Outram as we have concerns that SH87 might close, so we need to consider evacuations now.

Dukes Road blocked due to livestock being relocated out of the upper ponding area so please avoid this road.

Residents in low-lying areas who feel concerned should make plans to self-evacuate to stay with friends or family who live on higher ground. If possible, please take your pets with you.
If you do not have somewhere to go, please go to the CDEM information centre in Mosgiel – Fire Service Theatre, 3 Cargill Street and we can arrange accommodation. If you need help to physically evacuate, please let us know when we contact you or call us on 03 477 4000.
If things change and we need to evacuate a wider area, we will contact residents to let them know. Please remember to check on your neighbours, particularly if they are vulnerable.

Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull declared a state of emergency for Dunedin City this evening in response to issues arising from heavy rain in the city today.

The state of emergency has been declared because the emergency situation is beyond the resources of the emergency services alone, or otherwise requires significant co-ordination. It means extra powers are available to assist in the emergency response.

If anyone else feels unsafe you can self evacuate. If you choose to evacuate and need help to do so, please call the DCC on 03 477 4000.
There has been steady rain in the city today. About 41mm of rain had fallen at Musselburgh to 10pm and about 78mm has been recorded at Silverstream at Riccarton Road to 10.30pm. Silverstream at Swampy Spur has recorded 148mm at 10.25pm.
Due to heavy rain infiltrating into the wastewater system, manhole covers have been forced up in Surrey Street, South Dunedin, and on North Road in North East Valley. The system backs up at certain bottleneck points and overflows onto the road. The overflows are contained on roads, but people should stay out of floodwaters in these areas and treat them as contaminated. The Dunedin City Council has opened all available bypasses to alleviate pressure on the system.

DCC staff, contractors, emergency services and Civil Defence personnel are responding as quickly as they can to weather-related issues based on priority.

A number of road closures are now in place. 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 athttp://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/

Dr Bidrose says that motorists should not go sightseeing, or put themselves or others at risk.

Anyone wanting to report flood-related issues with DCC services should call us on 03 477 4000 to report it. Anyone who feels their safety is in danger or who has water entering their house or business should call emergency services on 111.

Information Centres
Dunedin City Council has opened information centres in South Dunedin and Mosgiel as places where people can go for more information and which can also potentially be used as welfare centres if the need develops. The centres are currently staffed and are located at:

• Mosgiel – Fire Station Theatre, 3 Cargill Street
• South Dunedin – The Mercy Room, Catholic Social Services, 42 Macandrew Road

Sandbags
Sandbags and sand are available from the Memorial Park car park beside the stadium/Mosgiel Memorial Gymnasium, and in South Dunedin at the carpark behind St Clair Tennis Club, Victoria Road. These areas are lit and contractors are available to help.

Sportsgrounds & Freedom Camping
DCC sportgrounds will remain closed on Saturday. The Dunedin premier club rugby semi-finals at Hancock Park will go ahead as scheduled, provided it is safe to do so.

Due to the weather the DCC recommends all freedom campers find alternative accommodation rather than staying at either of the DCC’s two freedom camping sites tonight.

General preparedness

• 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

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

ENDS

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