Flash flooding isolates town
Water, debris cover roads in and out of Roxburgh
THE main road between Millers Flat and Alexandra remained closed last night, after extreme flooding in Roxburgh yesterday afternoon.
A Civil Defence and Emergency Management Otago spokeswoman said the road would remain closed overnight, and would be reassessed this morning.
Police said any inessential travel in and out of Roxburgh today should be postponed.
The flooding caused huge slips on SH8, on either side of Roxburgh.
Teviot Rd between Roxburgh and Millers Flat was also blocked because of a slip.
Excavators and emergency services were out in force.
Police said seven households were evacuated in Tweed St, Roxburgh, in the afternoon, but residents were allowed to return home last night when the water receded.
Houses in north Roxburgh and Millers Flat were without power last night.
An Aurora Energy spokesman said the Roxburgh power would be back on by late last night and Millers Flat would be attended to as soon as possible.
The Central Otago District Council issued a boilwater notice for Roxburgh after a water pipe blowout.
The council also asked residents in the area to conserve water overnight.
Roxburgh residents said the rain began about 3pm.
‘‘It’s bad news,’’ said one Coal Creek resident, who asked to remain anonymous.
‘‘I think we had about 45mm of rain from 3pm to 4pm,’’ he said.
The rain was almost isolated within the Teviot Valley.
Alexandra had a few spots of rain early in the evening, but the most extreme rain was south of Butchers Dam.