River warning ignored
State of emergency declared to keep people safe
Severe damage to a flood protection stopbank on the Ō pihi River near Pleasant Point means a state of emergency for the area could be in place for several days.
The Timaru District Council declared the emergency at 10.20pm on Wednesday after two of 10 people from the Mill Rd Huts area, who had voluntarily evacuated several hours earlier, went back to a property.
Sergeant Malcolm Lindsay said the resident and their friend left the area of their own accord when the emergency was declared and police went back to the huts to notify them.
The council said a small section of the stopbank was at risk of failing following flood flows and issued a map showing the huts area would be in the river’s path if it broke through.
A council spokesperson said Environment Canterbury staff were still assessing the stopbank yesterday afternoon, and it was ‘‘stable but severely damaged’’.
The spokesperson said the damaged area would need to be reinforced before people could return.
Group controller of the
Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management, Sean Poff, said the emergency was declared ‘‘to ensure the safety of those likely to be affected by this localised threat of flooding’’.
‘It’s unfortunate that the behaviour of a very small number of people forced the action that was necessary to keep them, and the community, and the emergency services’ personnel, safe,’’ Poff said.
‘‘It is important to note however that it is very much a localised situation specific to the Mill Rd location, and a handful of properties, and is not deemed a deteriorating situation.’’
The council said a cordon remained in place and also confirmed the occupant and owner of a house bus and caravan washed into the river was safe and well.
Timaru District deputy mayor Steve Wills said all affected residents were contacted and supported to evacuate and are staying with family and friends.
The decision to call the emergency emerged with a ‘‘very small number of people’’ not evacuating on the early advice of Civil Defence and the police which posed an increased threat to life.
Wills said a meeting attended by the agencies involved agreed a declaration was a reasonable and necessary step to protect the community.
‘‘This is due to a risk of flooding in a specific section of the ward . . . the south side of the Ō pihi River between Butlers Road and Kerrytown Road.
‘‘Extensive scouring of the stopbank poses a flooding risk with potential to be a threat to life and property.
‘‘It is really important that people stay clear of the cordon and resist the desire to inspect the damage.’’
The council said its Emergency Operations Centre would continue to monitor the situation in liaison with ECan and partner agencies.
The council has also said that the ‘‘only issue is the stopbank . . . there is no issue with the Opuha dam’’ which discharges into the Opuha River which flows into the Ō pihi River.
‘‘The dam is operating normally at present with no excess spill. The issue remains a weakened stopbank section.’’
Andrew Mockford, chief executive of Opuha Water Ltd (OWL), said because of the predicted high rainfall levels, ECan flood controllers and Civil Defence had been in regular contact since July 14.
‘‘OWL proactively lowered Lake Opuha as much as is possible prior to the predicted event to buffer the impacts of the flood and it continues to actively manage the flows into the river system.
‘‘Through this event the lake level increased 2 metres. These levels and the increase are all within normal operating ranges for the Opuha Dam.’’
Mockford said the lake played a valuable role in managing the weather event.
‘‘The peak difference between inflows and outflows from the dam was close to 200 cumecs between 9am and 2pm on Tuesday.’’
The Ō pihi peaked at 7pm on Tuesday at 748 cumecs just upstream from the scoured out stopbank, well above its mean annual flood level of 416 cumecs but below the 1-in-10-year level of 1160 cumecs. Yesterday afternoon the river was at 182 cumecs.