Rain triggers flood warning system
Environment Southland activated its flood warning system yesterday as heavy rain fell in parts of the region.
The council’s flood warning broadcast at 11am said the Winton Dam at Benmore was 0.92 metres above normal and rising 311 mm/hour, the Otapiri Stream at Otapiri Gorge was 0.72 metres above normal and rising 327 mm/hour and the Hamilton Burn at Waterloo Rd was 1.32 metres above normal and rising 409 mm/hour.
The Oreti River at Three Kings was 0.837m above normal and was rising at 71mm an hour yesterday.
The council’s website yesterday showed the Hamilton Burn has received 38.5mm of rain yesterday. By late afternoon at least eight rivers in total were listed as rising above normal.
Emergency Management Southland also issued a warning about the rainfall, saying it was keeping an eye on river levels.
The Metservice issued a severe weather warning for areas north of Lumsden yesterday, warning of a further 40 to 60mm of rain to accumulate on top of what has already fallen, with peak intensities of 10 to 15mm per hour.
A heavy rain warning was lifted for Fiordland yesterday.
There were no reports of road closures in Southland yesterday.