2020 Floods
This is an official message from Emergency Management Southland.
At 2.20pm today, Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group chair Neville Cook declared a state of emergency for the Southland region, including Gore, following yesterday’s declaration for the Fiordland Community Board Area.
The declaration comes as extensive flooding causes significant problems across the region, including road closures and landslips.
Emergency Management Southland controller Angus McKay said the declaration helps provide a coordinated response to the emergency, which is being managed from the Invercargill emergency centre.
The Gore District Council is advising people to stay off the roads as flooding continues to impact on roads and property around the District.
Deputy chief executive Dr Ian Davidson-Watts said there were a number of areas in Gore where flooding was threatening homes.
“We have staff going door-to-door in the worse affected areas to talk with residents and ensure they are okay.”
Some properties have been sandbagged, and flooding waters had entered a number of basements and garages.
Emergency Management Southland on their Facebook page say… If you’re following the yellow brick road to Elton John’s concert in Dunedin tonight, you might find it is a pretty wet road so please allow plenty of time, take extra care and check for road closures. Currently, the Gore to Clinton road is closed and others have surface flooding.
Several schools in Gore have closed mainly to ensure pupils can get home. The Gore transfer station is closed due to flooding from the Waikaka Stream.
“We are in contact with Emergency Management Southland and closely monitoring the weather and river levels.”
The following roads and streets are closed:
- State Highway 90 at McNab
- State Highway 1 from Gore to Clinton
- Waikaka Road
- Otama Road
- Knapdale Road
- Ontario Street
- River Road
- MacGibbon Road
- McDonald Road
- Ruia Street
- Koa Street
- Ardwick Street between Devon and Onslow streets
Northern Southland roads have been impacted by heavy rain and Southland District Council is advising people not to travel unnecessarily.
Rivers are continuing to rise and they are expecting conditions to worsen.
Contractors are out responding to calls from residents but advise conditions are challenging and they are not able to access all of the affected areas.
Flooded roads are closed off where contractors are able to gain access but many areas are not reachable.
In Southland, roads are shut apart from State Highway 6 in Dipton, near the intersection with Bell Road.
Southland District Council area roads have been closed:
- Ellis Road between Acton and Lowther
- Felton Road
- McLean Road (Garston)
- Lora Gorge Road
- Henderson Road
- Riversdale – Waikaia Road
- Pyramid-Waiparu Road
- Otautau Tuatepere Road (detour via Clifden Highway)
- Wyndham Station Road (Mokoreta)
- Mimihau School Rd from Wyndham Road to the CemState Highway 6 in Dipton, near the intersection with Bell Road
- State Highway 94 in Croydon, near the intersection with Kingdon Road
Dr Davidson-Watts said Council staff have been responding to numerous reports, which was stretching resources. At risk properties were being prioritised.
The heavy rainfall also means Gore’s stormwater and wastewater networks were at capacity and surcharging.
With the possibility of wastewater contaminating flood waters around the town, the public are advised to ensure children do not play in the water, Dr Davidson-Watts said.
He also urged motorists not to drive through flood waters in town as the water surge impacts on homes threatened by flooding.
“The main message is stay home unless it is absolutely essential for you to drive,” Dr Davidson-Watts said.
The MetService’s heavy rain warning remains in place for Southland and Clutha until 8.00pm tonight. There has been 41.8mm of rain since midnight and a further 40mm forecast to accumulate on top of that.
Environment Southland has activated its flooding warning for Southland rivers.
At 11.00am today the Mataura River at Gore was 2.29 m above normal and rising at 123mm/hour. The Waikaka Stream, at Hamilton Park, was 3.1m above normal and rising at 52mm/hour.
For state highway information go to journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/regions/14
https://whatsoninvers.nz/gdc-has-activated-a-welfare-centre-for-flood-affected/