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Heavy and persistent rains have caused the cancellation or postponement of large-scale events scheduled for today and a warning for road users to be careful.
The Otago Central District Council reported at 9:30 am that there was an isolated surface flood area throughout the area and that river levels were beginning to rise.
“If you are camping, follow the advice and relocate to higher ground.”
A spokeswoman said conditions were expected to worsen today and river levels were rising.
Danseys Pass Road is closed from the Kyeburn River Road intersection to the top and Scotts Lane is closed at the bridge.
Crews will work in Maniototo clearing debris from bridges and culverts to reduce flooding, he said.
In northern Otago, there are surface flooding affecting the Alma-Maheno Highway (State Highway 1) after the Kakanui River overflowed this morning.
Motorists across the South are advised to drive as expected after several crashes on the wet roads of inland Otago yesterday and a heavy rain advisory for Dunedin running until 11pm today.
MetService’s rain warning also applies to North Otago and Clutha north of Balclutha until 11pm
And a heavy rain watch also applies to Central Otago, the South Lakes and Southland, north of Gore, until 9pm today, as well as Canterbury High Country, south of Fairlie. There were also thunderstorms.
TRIATHLON, FOOD AND RACING FESTIVAL
In Cromwell, organizers of the Gate Lake Dunstan Triathlon and Duathlon postponed the event for the sake of safety and said a new date would be set as soon as possible.
The Cromwell Food and Wine Festival, scheduled to take place at the town’s heritage grounds starting at 3pm, has been canceled.
The Omakau Trots also became victims of the weather. The Central Otago Trotting Club canceled today’s race meeting, which is expected to draw thousands of bettors, due to what it described as “major surface flooding” throughout the parking lot and the racetrack.
Club president Graham Sinnamon had to make a difficult decision after monitoring the track overnight. “Head against heart: it was a horrible decision.”
Glenorchy races have been postponed until tomorrow due to rain.
However, the Wanaka rodeo will go ahead as planned.
HEAVEST RAIN FORECAST
MetService weather forecaster Aidan Pyselman urged motorists to drive under conditions in Otago-Southland, given that heavy rains were expected to continue today and could, in some locations, reach as high as 140mm by 11pm, from the beginning of yesterday, and more rain occurred is also expected tomorrow.
Dunedin City had logged 28mm of rain yesterday, at 6pm, and today “wouldn’t be a great day” in terms of rain, and “even more rain” would fall tomorrow.
Today 60-100mm more rain was expected, with the largest amounts likely in the hills and ranges of North Otago and Dunedin.
Monday would be drier and warmer, with 19 ° C forecast for Dunedin, down from 13 ° C at 3pm yesterday and the weather would improve through Wednesday, he said.
DUNEDIN’S COUNCIL KEEPING EYE ON THE GRIDS
A Dunedin City Council spokeswoman said that with heavy rains in Dunedin yesterday, the DCC was working hard to keep the drain grates unblocked and was asking residents to help clear the blocking grates of debris.
Sandy Graham, DCC executive director, said the city’s mud tanks were running efficiently, but some grates were being blocked by loose debris, especially cabbage leaves.
Contractors were working to clear gates across the city, but if people noticed one was blocked near their home, clear debris on the path where contractors will pick it up when the weather clears, he said.
Sandbag stations had not been established at this stage, but DCC was on duty overnight, would be managing the situation and keeping an eye on the weather forecast, Ms. Graham said.
The situation would be reassessed this morning, including the updated weather forecast, and residents would be informed via media and social media if sandbag stations would be established today, he said.
As rain continued to fall in Dunedin and Otago yesterday afternoon, the city’s Tahuna Normal Middle School came under fire for an unusual act of vandalism.
Someone climbed onto the roof over the office area between Thursday and yesterday afternoon and removed several concrete tiles and threw them into the yard in front of the school, breaking them.
Given the humid weather, some water made it to the school, but the office largely escaped the damage, which overall seemed relatively minor, and yesterday firefighters replaced the damaged tiles with additional tiles that were kept at the school.
Tahuna School Vice Principal Roddy Scoles noticed the damage to the school tiles when he arrived at the school around 1.30pm yesterday.
– Additional reporting ODT online
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