Latest news with #Marlborough
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Weather: Marlborough District Council sending teams into flooded Wairau Valley township
Crews working on damage west of the Waihopai Bridge near Renwick, Marlborough. Photo: Supplied / Marlborough District Council The Marlborough District Council is sending teams into the cut off Wairau Valley township where it is understood homes have flooded. Mayor Nadine Taylor said emergency vehicles and a fuel truck to power a Marlborough Lines generator had been able to access the settlement, although State Highway 63 was closed between Renwick and St Arnaud. Many homes in the Wairau Valley lost power on Friday and while power had since been restored, Taylor said it was not yet known how many homes had been flooded. She said it was likely to be a few days until the full extent of damage was known. "It's still a fluid and dynamic situation in terms of understanding what's happened to some of our smaller outlying towns and settlements," she said. The council said there had been significant damage to SH63 in the Bankhouse area west of the Waihopai Bridge and Renwick because of the heavy rain. Contractors were clearing gravel to try to get the road reinstated at least to one lane but it would will probably remain closed from Renwick to Wairau Valley for the rest of Saturday. While the weather had improved, the council said areas remain flooded and the ground was saturated, with potential for further slips and road closures. The council said stopbanks held up well overall but emergency repairs were needed in the Waihopai Valley. Taylor said river engineers found weak spots where river water could be seen bubbling and seeping through the stopbank, with work on repairs to begin on Monday. The Spring Creek stop bank performed well despite engineers' concerns when drilling showed it was compromised in 2022/23, the council said. The council asked people to only flush toilets when necessary and use water sparingly. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Weather: Spring Creek, Renwick residents able to return home
Ronga Rd, on the way to French Pass. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee Ronga Road, on the way to French Pass, on Friday. Spring Creek residents evacuated from their homes as a precaution on Friday can return home today, says the Marlborough District Council. It is also safe for Renwick residents to return to their homes. The council said the Spring Creek stopbank held up well during Friday's flooding with no signs of seepage, slumping or overlapping but there is considerable surface flooding in the area. Marlborough Emergency Management, council and response agencies are currently working throughout the province to ascertain damage particularly in the Awatere, Wairau Valley, Northbank and Waihopai areas. Meanwhile, an Air Force Unimog was used to evacuate people from their vehicles in the Para Swamp area at State Highway 1 on Friday night. Flight Lieutenant Mark Brain said about 20 people became stranded when rising water from the Wairau River flooded the road in front and behind them. A Unimog was used as the water was too deep for four wheel drive vehicles and and those affected were taken to Spring Creek and on to the Civil Defence Centre at Stadium 2000. They were taken back to retrieve their vehicles this morning and State Highway One, which was down to one lane under stop/go management, has reopened. Agencies will continue to closely monitor flood prevention infrastructure in the region for any changes after the significant weather event of the past 24 hours. The Wairau River has peaked and is now tracking down. Rai Falls received 281mm of rain with many parts of the district getting more than 200mm of rain in line with initial MetService New Zealand forecasts. There continues to be widespread flooding throughout the region and travel was still not recommended unless absolutely necessary, a council spokesperson said. "If travel is required, please drive with extreme caution and to the road conditions." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
17 hours ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Live: Marlborough residents on evacuation alert, roads cut off
A flooded road in Nelson on Friday. Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii A state of emergency was declared on Friday for the Nelson Tasman region and part of Marlborough due to severe flooding. An evacuation order for Spring Creek has remained in place overnight, although the Wairau River peaked on Friday and is tracking down. A heavy snow watch has been issued for Central Otago, part of Southland, inland Dunedin and Clutha. Follow updates with RNZ's live blog.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
National weather mayhem
A state of emergency remains in place for Nelson and Tasman and part of Marlborough, after heavy rain has pelted the top of the south - causing widespread flooding, forcing evacuations, and closing roads. Residents in Spring Creek were evacuated this morning, with further evacuations called for in Renwick, Tadmor and Tapawera this afternoon. In Auckland, thunderstorms downed trees and lifted roofs in Auckland. Samantha Gee has more. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Weather: Marlborough evacuees irked by lack of flood protection action
By Kira Carrington , Local Democracy Reporter The entrance to Spring Creek School was under water. Photo: LDR/Kira Carrington A Spring Creek couple evacuated from their home due to Friday's flooding say they're "pissed off" with the Marlborough District Council's lack of action around flood protection work. Residents from certain Spring Creek streets were asked to evacuate on Friday morning as a precaution, as the Marlborough region was battered by rain overnight Thursday . There was 245mm received at Rai Falls and other areas around the district receiving more than 100mm. On Friday morning, Marlborough Emergency Management controller Richard MacNamara said there was uncertainty around how long the heavy rain would last. "The modelling shows some lessening of impact but with the stop bank in Spring Creek being compromised we will be proceeding with plans for people in the affected streets to be evacuated by 9am," MacNamara said in a council-issued statement. "It's not only the level of flood waters we are considering but the unseen damage within that stop bank. We have to make proactive decisions - it's about caring for our community and preventing possible harm." The affected properties were in Dodson, Hathaway, and March streets, as well as the section of Ferry Rd from the intersection with March St towards the river as well as residential properties on Gouland Road north of March St. Hathaway St resident Susan Robertson said she was "thoroughly pissed off with the council". "How many years have they known about this?," she said of the stopbank issue. The Spring Creek stopbank experienced lateral spread in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake and was further damaged in the July 2021 Wairau flood. In January 2023, the repair project was reprioritised and funding was secured through the Long-Term Plan process. A $8.7M construction programme was agreed with the community in May 2024, with groundwork expected to start in November this year before construction was carried out in November 2026, MDC said. But this was too long a wait, Robertson said. "It's not good enough. If a councillor lived down here, the mayor lived out here, it would be done. "They don't give us stuff. All they care about is beautifying Picton and central Blenheim. That's all they care about. They don't give a stuff about us." Marlborough Emergency Management began door knocking at affected properties in Spring Creek on Thursday night and continued that work on Friday morning. There was also a police and NZ Army presence in the township on Friday, as a number of streets were under water and the Wairau River was in flood. A Civil Defence Centre providing community support and information was opened at Stadium 2000 in Blenheim from 9am and hot drinks and kai were being offered at Tuamātene Marae. Ready to help at the stadium, from left, public health medicine specialist Dr Kat McHale, health protection officer Frances Knight, and public health co-ordinator Paula Kole. Photo: LDR Councillor Gerald Hope was heading down to the stadium on Friday morning. The council was moving as fast as it could on stopbank repairs, he said. "It's not as simple as moving tons of rocks in. "We've had good turnout at town meetings, people have asked questions. We've been straight up with residents about what's going on. "Our civil defence group is one of the best in the country." Staff from Nelson Marlborough's Public Health Service were also at the stadium to support Civil Defence staff. Public health co-ordinator Paula Kole said there was plenty of coffee and tea available for evacuees. "We have an animal welfare station, first aid, an area for the children, and over there [behind screens] is for needs-based assessment." A council spokesperson said in the past, Spring Creek residents tended to evacuate to the homes of friends and family, so they were not expecting large numbers of people, and the evacuation centre was "just in case". In its statement, the council asked those evacuating to take their pets with them, ideally in carry cages and or on leads to a safe place. Defence Force personnel in Spring Creek. Photo: LDR/Kira Carrington Meanwhile, the heavy rain has seen considerable surface flooding throughout the region - including State Highway 6 at Havelock, State Highway 63 in the Wairau Valley, and State Highway 1 near Koromiko, the council said. Road users were advised to avoid travel if possible but they need to drive do so with caution and to the conditions. SH63 was closed from Anglesea St through to St Arnaud due to multiple areas of flooding. There is flooding on SH1 near Para Rd. There has been a truck crash on SH1 near Ward, the road is down to one lane. There are trees down on Queen Charlotte Drive between Ngakuta and Governors Bay and the road is down to one lane, the council said. Marlborough Roads crew were out across the network inspecting flood areas this morning. Drivers were advised to prepare for road hazards and the possibility of road closures. With stormwater systems running at capacity, the council also advised people not to go near any flood waters in the region due to risk of contamination. People should also stay off stop banks in the area, particularly in vehicles, as this can compromise their effectiveness, the council said. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
