Floodwaters are threatening the evacuation of a rest home in Dunedin while local school children are being picked up by the army.
The Fire Service held a meeting with residents at Radius Fulton rest home in Caversham this afternoon to urge them to consider an evacuation plan for its 90 residents.
A torrential downpour has closed roads, flooded businesses and forced some residents to sand bag their homes already today, with the heavy rain is expected to continue.
Radius Fulton facility manager Robyn Bowie says the rest home is looking at a full evacuation.
"Some areas are flooded, other areas are dry and residents are obviously in the dry areas," she says.
"The Fire Service has done an amazing job pumping out water and sand bagging however we are concerned that, with more water this afternoon, it's going to be quite dire really."
Some residents have already been rescued by their family members while others would likely be transferred to other facilities around Dunedin.
MetService says around 93mm of rain had fallen by 3pm and an extra 50 to 70mm is expected over the next few hours. The rain should continue right through to 2am.
Fire fighters have been dealing with floods all day with sand bags being used to protect houses.
Several schools are asking parents to collect kids as water rises with Abbotsford School calling in an army Unimog vehicle to help students get past the floodwaters.
Office administrator Lesley Rae says around 12 children have already been taken to parents waiting on the other side.
"They're loving it, the heavy rain I think and the fact that school's closing for the afternoon," she says.
The floods have affected many businesses and Gary Brody's auto painters in Broughton St was inundated earlier today.
"With the amount of trucks and cars not slowing down, it's like a tsunami coming into your workshop," he says.
"Plus we've got a raw sewage pipe at the front and when it happens like this we start getting raw sewage through the place as well."
Mike Aughterlongy of McKeown Chemicals sent his staff home early out of fear for their safety.
"Over the road we've got [an electrician] sitting out here with his lights on, I think there's electricity boxes outside ready to blow," he says.
Both the police and the City Council are asking residents to avoid driving through the floodwaters.
Civil Defence has been activated to monitor and co-ordinate, but a civil defence emergency had not been called at this stage.
The council says South Dunedin, Kaikorai Valley and parts of Mosgiel, the Brighton Coast and the Taieri Plain have been hardest hit.
"The sheer amount of rain means our stormwater system is at capacity and the roading network is under pressure," said civil defence manager Neil Brown.
Foul sewer contamination forced the closure of the Hargest Crescent area, in St Clare.
The council warned against people driving or walking through floodwaters, particularly those which may be contaminated.
"If you do have to drive, please drive carefully and be prepared for widespread surface flooding."
However, the water supply is safe to drink.
Road Closures:
- SH87 in Mosgiel between Factory Rd and Cargill St;
- SH8 between Roxburgh and Millers Flat;
- SH1 reduced to one southbound lane at Burnside overbridge;
- Highcliff Rd between Sandymount and Beaconsfield Rd;
- Gladstone Rd between McGlashan St and Riccarton Rd;
- Three Mile Hill Rd;
- Waitati Valley Rd;
- McIntosh Rd;
- Miller Rd;
- Gladfield Rd between Bush Rd and Dukes Rd;
- Old Brighton Rd;
- Flagstaff/Whare Flat Rd between Pineapple Track and Silverstream Valley Rd
3 News/ NZN /RadioLIVE
source: newshub archive
