Dunedin (7.25pm, Wednesday 27 July 2022) – The Dunedin City Council continues to monitor the weather situation, but conditions are now easing and the worst appears to have passed.

The Dunedin Emergency Operations Centre will stand down at 8pm today, as we are not anticipating any major issues overnight.

However, key DCC and Civil Defence staff are on standby to be reactivated if needed and people can still report any urgent weather-related issues by calling 03 477 4000.

Roading crews will continue to patrol and monitor the network throughout the night and respond to any urgent problems.

Around 27 roads remain closed across the city, many of them in rural areas.

State Highway 1, between Dunedin and Palmerston, reopened late this afternoon, as did Three Mile Hill Road.

Road closure details are available at www.dunedin.govt.nz/road-conditions.

Tomorrow our focus will turn to clean-up and recovery.

This has been a significant weather event, with up to 140mm of rain falling since yesterday. This has created challenges including ponding, slips and damage to some roads around the city.

We’re encouraged that, generally, our infrastructure has held up well despite the challenges. It’s also pleasing to see the all the various agencies, volunteers and community members pulling together and working hard to plan for, and respond to, this event.

Staff and contractors will be busy over the coming days clearing slips and debris from roads. The work has already begun, but our contractors have a list of 120 callouts to work through. Their work will be based on priority, and we appreciate the public’s patience while this continues.

People are also being advised to stay out of the city’s coastal and other waterways and not collect shellfish for the next 48 hours following the heavy rain.

More information is available here: www.dunedin.govt.nz/news-and-events/public-notices/alerts/weather-information.

This will be the final update for today unless the situation deteriorates.

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