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Power was restored to Middlemarch Sunday night.
He had been away since around 2:30 this afternoon after lightning cut off power to the city, and residents were asked not to flush their toilets until further notice.
The Dunedin City Council said the city’s sewer system could not function as efficiently as possible and that if rain continued to fall in the area, there was a risk of sewage flooding.
While residents are allowed to re-rinse, they are advised not to drink borehole water unless they treat the water with a filter or similar, as it is likely contaminated. There is a water tanker available in the Strath Taieri Community Room.
Volunteers in Dunedin have been pulled from sandbag stations as the rain dies down in the city.
Dunedin’s severe thunderstorm warning has been lifted, but surveillance remains in place throughout Otago.
The warning was issued shortly after 4.30pm and was rescinded around 5.15pm
This afternoon, more than 1,600 lightning strikes were recorded across the country in a two-hour period, with the inland areas near Dunedin and parts of the central North Island being the hardest hit.
MetService warned that thunderstorms could cause flash flooding near streams, ravines and urban areas, and make driving conditions dangerous.
Meanwhile, festival goers at Whare Flat have been led down a back road after being stranded at the venue for the weekend.
Organizers of the Folk Festival posted on their Facebook page around 5.15pm that Fulton Hogan had “led a parade of soggy campers” down a back road, leaving “just before the next downpour.”
Many festival goers were forced to leave vehicles and belongings behind and it will likely take a day or two for organizers to have access to the site to retrieve something.
They advise people not to attempt to access Whare Flat themselves and will instead facilitate the collection and distribution of the property later in the week.
Despite the difficulties, organizers praised the stranded group’s camaraderie and good humor for “making a delicate situation terrible.”
Meanwhile, Middlemarch residents say they are concerned about yesterday’s flooding.
Leaann McLew, a member of the Strath-Taieri Community Board, said Saturday’s flood pattern was different than on previous occasions, and that a lot of water had come in quickly, including from March Creek, she said.
There was “a need to investigate” some issues related to the floods, he said.
The floods, which had affected several homes and some businesses, had subsided since then.
As a rural nurse, Ms McLew appreciated the health dimension of flood problems.
The chairman of the board, Barry Williams, was also concerned as around 40mm of additional rain had been forecast for later today.
Another board member, Blair Dale, said he was also concerned about the flooding, which was still affecting the municipality.
A nearby resident said he drove to Middlemarch yesterday and tried to help people affected by the heavy rains.
South of Dunedin, Henley and Allanton on the Taieri Plains were flooded and water rose over roads and railroad tracks.
