Storm brings deluge of insurance claims
The storm that brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of Canterbury and Otago last weekend will add to what could be the most expensive year for weather-related insurance claims so far this century.
The deluge flooded homes and farms, closed roads and caused slips as two months worth of rain fell in just two days.
South Canterbury’s Waimate and Timaru district councils are estimating a combined repair bill of nearly $1 million.
Insurance Council chief executive Tim Grafton said it was too early to say how much the event would cost insurers overall but he expected it would generate about 2000 claims.
It would be less expensive than Cyclone Debbie or Cyclone Cook, which both hit the country in April, or the storm branded the Tasman Tempest that inundated Northland, Auckland and Waikato in March.
However, it would add significantly to the tally of weatherrelated claims made this year.
‘‘In the first four months of this year, the weather-related losses have already roughly matched the other two big years of 2004 and 2013,’’ Grafton said.
IAG, which has about 47 per cent of the general insurance market in New Zealand, has received 540 flood-related claims so far, a spokeswoman said.
Plains Irrigators technician Theo Joubert said they were still assessing the damage to their Timaru business and had not
‘‘. . .we are still monitoring river levels, tides and weather forecasts very closely . . .’’ Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel
lodged an insurance claim yet.
Their premises in Washdyke was flooded and there had been damage to radio equipment, carpets, walls and books, but the business got off lightly overall, he said.
The clean-up was continuing in Christchurch, but the city’s state of emergency was lifted yesterday afternoon.
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the immediate dangers posed by the significant rainfall and abnormally high tides were now behind the city.
‘‘Although we are transitioning into a recovery period, we are still monitoring river levels, tides and weather forecasts very closely, to ensure we are ready to react if we need to,’’ she said in a statement.
‘‘The forecast of further rain from Thursday means the situation is still changeable, but we are working hard to minimise any impacts by clearing flood debris from rivers, sumps and stormwater grates, and keeping pumps deployed in Southshore and Flockton.’’
Meanwhile, relief is in sight for the owners of water-logged properties in Lower Selwyn Huts, on the shores of Lake Ellesmere south of Christchurch.
Work to open the lake to the sea was completed about 7am yesterday, and the lake level should reduce noticeably ’’over the next couple of days’’, Environment Canterbury’s website said.
‘‘Heavy equipment will remain on standby in case the cut recloses, particularly at the next high tide,’’ it said.
Residents earlier asked why the lake was not opened to the sea before severe weather and torrential rain submerged their village.
‘‘We would have liked it to have been open before, when we had a nice quiet week of weather,’’ Lower Selwyn Huts Association president Colin Hewson said.
When the lake flooded, it affected a ‘‘huge area’’ – not just hut owners, Hewson said.
‘‘We don’t really seem to say have a say as ratepayers, like we should.’’