More floods in Christchurch

Christchurch gets heavy rain and flooding yet again. People are trying to get their lives together after the earthquakes that have suffered repeated flooding in the areas worst affected by the earthquake. 

Christchurch has never seen rain like this before–it is very dry zone that normally get dry foehn winds from the west.

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Heavy rain, flooding again in Christchurch

A council taskforce has been given three weeks to come up with solutions for Christchurch's flood-affected areas, says Mayor Lianne Dalziel.

the Press,

29 April, 2014

Her comment follows Prime Minister John Key's statement that the Government was prepared to help homeowners in flood-prone areas but was still waiting for a council proposal.

Heavy rain in Christchurch overnight, easing to a steady drizzle this afternoon, has seen rivers spill their banks, flooded streets and inundated homes for the third time in 10 weeks.

The city council said flooding was worse than expected despite the MetService yesterday warning that up to 50mm of rain could fall.

Is your street or home flooding? Send your pictures to newsflow@press.co.nz

Prime Minister John Key, who was due to visit Christchurch this afternoon, told Newstalk ZB that the Government was not in a position to decide whether any further parts of Christchurch would be red-zoned.

"We're not in a position to make that decision yet. Ultimately this has the potential to affect hundreds and hundreds of homeowners and I can't tell you if the right answer is red zone."

The Government was "prepared to help", but the Christchurch City Council needed to take the lead, he said.

"We still haven't received a proposal from the council yet and we need to get that proposal.

"It can't go on like this. It's a ridiculous scenario for people and they're entitled to know what can be done to fix it."

Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel told Newstalk ZB that a council taskforce had been given three weeks to come up with temporary and "intermediate" solutions for flood-affected residents.

The taskforce was announced last week.

"We had money in the budget for the work on Dudley Creek. The trouble is that it takes two years to deliver the project," she said.

"Our city faces this enormous challenge and it is bigger than Flockton and it is going to require us to come up with some temporary solutions as well as those long-term solutions.

"I can't say exactly what they're going to be, but we've got everyone working on this as hard as we can."

EXHAUSTED RESIDENTS HIT AGAIN

Several streets in the area in and around the Flockton Basin have flooded for the third time in less than two months.

Lindsay Rush's home on Slater St has flooded nine times since the February 2011 earthquake. "We laugh at them, but I get a wee bit frustrated," he said.

Rush had lived in the house since 2009 and said it never flooded before the earthquakes.

Flockton Basin resident Julie Cairns said the floodwaters were only half a centimetre off entering her Archer St home this morning, but it was not as bad as it had been during other recent flooding events.

One of her toilets had been "taken out" because it was slightly lower than the rest of her house, but her sleepout had not been flooded this time.

"If I still had my car though - which I don't because I lost it in the March flood - I couldn't drive up the street."

Jo Byrne left her Carrick St home after the March 5 storm that caused widespread flooding across Christchurch.

Her home was one of about 80 inundated with water during that event, most in the Flockton area.

Chris Timbs has been at his Edgeware butchery since 3.30am, trying to keep the floodwaters out of his shop.

The Peter Timbs store was closed today, but staff expected to be at the site all day as they worked to remove water from the Edgeware Rd building.

"Sandbags have helped, but unfortunately it's above the foundations so it's coming in from the sides," Chris Timbs said.

A burst water main in Rose St this morning flooded Cashmere High School and forced the evacuation of one home.

Addington Fire Brigade station officer Murray Jamieson said the flooding had brought up mud "like liquefaction".

"It's turbulent. It's like Cook Strait in a major storm," he said.

Amir Hassan, his wife, and their five children under 5, evacuated their home about 9am after the torrent broke their fence and water spilled through to the back of the brand new property, where they have lived only four months.

FLOODWATERS MAY BE CONTAMINATED

The Christchurch City Council had geotechnical teams monitoring hillside areas for any signs of land instability including new cracking to land or buildings, existing cracks getting bigger, leaning or bulging of retaining walls, and rockfalls.

The council hjas also warned that floodwaters could be contaminated, and advised residents to avoid the water where possible or make sure to wash their hands and remove and wash any clothing that got wet.

Numerous streets across the city and Banks Peninsula were closed due to flooding.

BANKS PENINSULA HIT

Businesses and residents in Akaroa, Duvauchelle and Little River were yesterday still cleaning up from the last flooding 10 days ago, but had to restart the job after being inundated with water again today.

Little River Garage owner Malcolm Ussher said he planned to go home for a cup of coffee and "wait for the water to go away".

About 20cm of water had flooded the front of his garage, while a smaller volume had gone through the workshop at the back.

"We left everything up on Sunday because they said it was going to hit us yesterday at 6am."

He was tempted to leave everything up high after being flooded three times in less than three months. "But you can't really trade like that."

Ussher said he hoped to reopen the garage later today when the floodwaters receded, to "help our local customers".

Further south, North Otago and South Canterbury were also hit hard by the severe weather.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has advised that State Highway 1 at Hilderthorpe, north of Oamaru is closed due to flooding today.

NZTA also issued cautions for State Highway 83 between Pukeuri and Duntroon, State Highway 1 between Clarence and Hundalee, State Highway 75 between Little River and Akaroa and State Highway 8 between Twizel and Tekapo.

Meanwhile a heavy rain warning for Dunedin was lifted last night.

In the North Island, high winds were buffeting the capital this morning - however heavy showers forecast for the Tararua Ranges were expected to ease.

Air New Zealand was warning of some minor flight delays in and out of Wellington due to the strong winds and low cloud.

A Jetstar spokesman said there were no weather-related issues in Wellington this morning.

Wellington Airport was notifying a 50 minute delay on the 8.10am Wellington to Christchurch Jetstar flight.

Airways New Zealand spokeswoman Philippa Sellens said Wellington air traffic control was leaving a slightly larger gap between planes in Wellington this morning for safety reasons.

This could cause some delays but was ''perfectly normal'' in poor weather she said.

Widower suffers ninth flood since quakes

Widower told house 'no longer safe'

the Press,

29 April, 2014

Lindsay Rush's home on Slater St has flooded nine times since the February 2011 earthquake.

"We laugh at them, but I get a wee bit frustrated," he said.

About 50mm of water flooded the lounge of his two-storey house today, but it had been worse - during the March 5 storm, about 450mm of floodwater swamped his home.

Rush had lived in the house since 2009 and said it never flooded before the earthquakes.

"Even the previous owner said the creek would rise up, but it would never flood."

He tried to get the house red-zoned after his wife died about a year ago, but the request was declined.

His insurance company also refused to pay him out for the house, insisting it be rebuilt, although with higher foundations.

"I'll be an island and I'm going to buy a boat," he said.

After last month's flooding, his insurance company told him the house was no longer safe to live in. He planned to move to another property in about two weeks, until his new home was built.

"I'm quite happy here, but now they've forced my hand."

He hoped the city council's plans to widen nearby Dudley Creek would ease future flooding problems for his property, but he was concerned about how nearby bridges would cope with more water.

"It's just a long process, a lot of waiting."

FLOCKTON FLOODS AGAIN

Flockton Basin resident Julie Cairns said the floodwaters were only half a centimetre off entering her Archer St home this morning, but it was not as bad as it had been during other recent flooding events.

One of her toilets had been "taken out" because it was slightly lower than the rest of her house, but her sleepout had not been flooded this time.

"If I still had my car though - which I don't because I lost it in the March flood - I couldn't drive up the street."

She also feared the floodwaters had reached some of the floorboards under her house because the property was not level.

Cairns said neither of the Christchurch City Council's proposals to upgrade nearby Dudley Creek to ease flooding risks in the Flockton area would help her property.

"You're nearly at a stage where what more can you do."

Jo Byrne left her Carrick St home after the March 5 storm that caused widespread flooding across Christchurch.

Her home was one of about 80 inundated with water during that event, most in the Flockton area.

She was now staying with other family in Shirley, but had been in touch with other flood-affected Flockton residents this morning.

"I think there's a lot of very tired and depressed people in the area, especially some of the older residents who are very vulnerable."

The flooding was not as bad as it had been previously, but many properties were already "unlivable" and the area could not cope with any more water.

"In one way, we're old hands at flooding, so everybody has everything stored up high. There's not much you can do except wait for the water to subside," Byrne said.

Chris Timbs has been at his Edgeware butchery since 3.30am, trying to keep the floodwaters out of his shop.

The Peter Timbs store was closed today, but staff expected to be at the site all day as they worked to remove water from the Edgeware Rd building.

"Sandbags have helped, but unfortunately it's above the foundations so it's coming in from the sides," Chris Timbs said.

He was using two pumps to move water out of the building. "I'm not that happy really. It's just frustrating."

He believed the building had slumped forward in Canterbury's major earthquakes, as the front of the shop had not flooded this much before the quakes, he said.

The floods a month ago

The ability, or disability to grow food is the real bottom line.

Rain heaps misery on grain croppers

Overnight heavy rain fell over parts of the South Island with South Canterbury hit with 65 mms of rain in 24 hours.

Radio NZ,

29 April, 2014

A crop farmer in Waitohi, which is west of Temuka, Jeremy Talbot, says the continued bad weather over the last month means many crops will not be harvested.

And he says some farmers in desperation are attempting to harvest wet grains which can damage expensive machinery.

Mr Talbot says the industry needs help from the government in the same way the dairy industry is aided in droughts.

He says many crop farmers graze dairy cows in winter months, as a second source of income, however, the rain has made paddocks too wet to do that.