Dunedin (Sunday, 6 October 2024)

Mayor of Dunedin Jules Radich is this afternoon lifting the city’s state of emergency as the city moves into recovery mode.

Mayor Radich says the declaration will be lifted from 4pm today.

“I want to thank everyone across our city for their calm and resilient response to the challenges this weather event has thrown at us in recent days.

“I also want to thank our staff, contractors, first responders and volunteers who have gone above and beyond – in many cases working through the night in terrible weather – to help our community.

“Dunedin is a special place full of wonderful people, and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone’s efforts during this difficult time.”

Civil Defence Controller Rob West says the city is now moving into recovery phase, and the focus is on reopening roads, clearing slip debris, reinstating water supplies on the West Harbour and Otago Peninsula, and helping members of the community in need of assistance.

Across Dunedin, 44 properties have been inspected and 11 properties red-stickered, meaning they are unsafe to occupy.

The welfare centre at Forsyth Barr Stadium has now closed.

A precautionary boil water notice now covers the West Harbour from Ravensbourne to Deborah Bay. This includes Maia, Roseneath, Sawyer’s Bay, Port Chalmers, Carey’s Bay and Deborah Bay, but excludes St Leonards (as it supplied via a different reservoir).

Staff and contractors are working as quickly as they can to install a temporary pipeline to reconnect the West Harbour to city water supplies, which are (except for St Leonards) being supplied from a reservoir at Port Chalmers as an interim measure.

Water trucks remain at Roseneath, Sawyers Bay (Presbyterian Church car park) and Port Chalmers (Back Beach car park) for anyone wanting fresh drinking water.

All West Harbour residents (including in St Leonards) are also being asked to conserve water, as are residents on Otago Peninsula, from Rotary Park to Portobello.

Level 1 water restrictions are also in place for Outram and Waikouaiti (including Karitane and Hawksbury), which means residents there are required to conserve water for now.

Mr West says, “We also remind people to be vigilant around hand washing to avoid risk of gastro illnesses, and to stay out of any areas that may be contaminated, including our harbour and city beaches. This is to avoid bugs that can cause gastrointestinal (vomiting and diarrhoea), skin and eye infections that may have been in the floodwater.”

Elsewhere, multiple roads remain closed around Dunedin but State Highway 88 to Port Chalmers is due to reopen at 6am tomorrow. Kerbside collection services in the West Harbour area – scheduled for tomorrow – will go ahead as normal.

Sandbags can be returned to the Ice Stadium as well as the collection points in Mosgiel (Memorial Park/gym carpark) and Middlemarch (Showgrounds). If people are unable to return them, sandbags can also be left on verges and they will be collected from early next week.

“Please don’t empty the sand from your bags and treat all bags as contaminated and wear gloves if you’re handling them.”

Dunedin’s Emergency Operations Centre will also now close as the focus shifts to the recovery phase. Anyone with questions or concerns relating to the weather event can contact the DCC on (03) 477 4000.

This will be the final update for today.

© Scoop Media