Major flooding damage to farms

A farming leader says 16 farms have suffered major damage in the flooding from the Rangitata River.

Federated Farmers South Canterbury president Jason Grant said they were they were quite large farms, adding that ‘‘about 50 families have been affected’’.

‘‘It’s a very stressful time at the moment and we’re just working through things.’’

The damage to irrigation infrastructure on those farms had been ‘‘significant’’, Grant said.

Rangitata Island farmer Eldon Megaw said the flooding was the worst he had seen.

‘‘Now it appears to be rising, it’s coming up quickly,’’ he said yesterday as Civil Defence authorities asked people to evacuate from the area.

‘‘I’ve had to move the stock to higher ground, and stopbanked the driveway.

‘‘It will be another two to three days before I know the full extent of the damage.’’

Figures from electronic transaction company Paymark show customers have spent more than $76 million in South Canterbury between November 13 and December 7 – an increase of 6.5 per cent from the same time last year. The company, which processes up to 75 per cent of New Zealand’s debit and credit card transactions, said 1.5 million transactions were also processed during this period, an increase of 5.4 per cent.

Children at Craighead Kindergarten were enchanted by bad fairy Carabosse, played by Jess Young, as she read them a story on yesterday. She is starring in Aidan Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty pantomime at the Playhouse Theatre from December 19 to 24.

PHOTOS: JOHN BISSET/STUFF Top, farmland east of State Highway 1 flooded by the Rangitata River, the main flow of which can be seen in the distance upper left; bottom left, Eldon Megaw with son Reid on the road outside their flooded farm; bottom right, the safest means of travel around the Rangitata’s flooded roads.