Flooding response update 14 March 2014 Latest weather news By Friday afternoon, forecasters were scaling back their rainfall predictions for Christchurch on Sunday as a result of the Cyclone Lusi weather pattern. However, Christchurch City Council, Civil Defence and other emergency response and welfare agencies will remain on high alert over the weekend and are prepared to react to heavy rainfall. Message from the Mayor Weather forecasts are looking a little better this evening than they did 24 hours ago, but I want to reassure residents who have faced flooding in the past that the Council and emergency services are still on standby and we’re ready to act if necessary. I know many of you are still dealing with the results of last week’s heavy rain and flooding, and the talk of more to come is difficult to hear. Whatever the weather brings this weekend, you can be assured that the Council and other emergency response agencies worked hard to prepare for the worst – all the while hoping that the predicted downpour will not eventuate. I wanted to make sure you had the latest information about what’s forecast and what we’re doing to respond. You’ll see details below about sandbags that the Council has made available and locations where you can pick these up – you’ll see in the message below that sandbags are only useful in some situations. As well as making sure you’re prepared for the rain, I encourage you to check on your friends and neighbours in case they need help. Community support networks are hugely important at times like this and with everyone’s help we’ll get through better than on our own. In addition to this week’s precautions and preparation work, the Council is also looking at longer-term responses to the flooding that has affected communities since the earthquakes. You may be aware that the Council has fast-tracked a report on options for the Flockton Street area, which is due to be considered by the end of the month. As soon as solutions become available they’ll be shared in detail with residents. Work on other flood-prone areas is still continuing. Flooding is a real issue in Christchurch and no one can deny that in some areas it has got worse since the earthquakes. The long-term solutions will take time to put in place, but we will continue to prioritise this work. We’re also doing our best to prepare for emergencies in the short-term and we’re ready now in case we need to respond this weekend. Lianne Dalziel Mayor of Christchurch Christchurch City CouncilChristchurch City Council Christchurch City Council Media Release: Agencies prepared in case of heavy rain Issued 4pm, Friday 14 March 2014 Key agencies met this afternoon to finalise preparations ahead of forecast rain over the weekend. Forecasters are now predicting a lower level of rainfall on Sunday morning than had previously been expected. Emergency response agencies will remain on stand-by and are ready to react if the rainfall intensifies. Agencies involved in today’s meeting included: Christchurch City Council operations and welfare staff, Civil Defence, Police, Fire Service, the Army, Red Cross, Orion, Community and Public Health, the Canterbury District Health Board, and the Student Volunteer Army. Agencies have agreed to meet again on Sunday if the weather worsens and further coordination is required. Sandbags Sandbags are useful for addressing some localised flooding, for example to stop water flowing under a garage door or diverting water downhill. They don’t protect against water coming from under the house and through floorboards. By midday Saturday, 22,000 filled sandbags are being made available at the following locations across the city where flooding is a known risk: • Corner Speight Street/Aylesford Street • Hills Road/Shirley Road shops – in the carpark • Edward Avenue, St Albans • Barrington Street • Ferry Road at Woolston Park • Corner Union Street/Seaview Terrace – Owles Terrace/Seaview Terrace, New Brighton •Corner Martindales Road/Truscotts Road, Heathcote Valley • Corner Marriner Street/ Esplanade, Sumner • Burwood Park Residents in the area can pick up the sandbags and have them on hand should flooding occur. If they are not needed this weekend, residents can store the sandbags in case of further events. The Council is not asking for the sandbags to be returned. Information on how best to use sandbags can be found at: ccc.govt.nz/homeliving/civildefence/informationondisastershazards/flooding.aspx or, ses.sa.gov.au/site/community_safety/floodsafe/sandbagging.jsp The Council has taken many calls from residents requesting sandbags where they believed they would be of use – this information has been used to help planning of locations for sandbags. By midday tomorrow all stocks of sandbags will have been allocated. Drain clearing Council teams have been out across the city all week clearing drains and waterways, sweeping roads and clearing road sumps ahead of the weekend – this work has now been completed and crews will be on stand-by over the weekend, ready to respond if necessary.Road closures Should surface flooding occur on city roads, motorists are advised to stay away from flooded areas. Bow waves created by cars and other vehicles driving through flooded streets can caused houses to flood. Do no drive through these areas unless it is absolutely necessary – if you must drive, please slow down. The Christchurch Transport Operations Centre will be coordinating road closure information over the weekend – you can get the latest on closures at transportforchristchurch.govt.nz Stopbanks Stopbanks have been checked and all are fine. Some additional height has been added to the stopbank at the New Brighton camping ground, which had to be evacuated during heavy rain last week. Army/Volunteers The army will be available over the weekend to assist with emergency response if required, as will the Student Volunteer Army. Wastewater Once again, residents are advised that wastewater is likely to mix with floodwaters and should stay out of contact with the water. If you do come into contact with flood waters you should wash your hands and wash any clothes. Welfare Welfare agencies are meeting late this afternoon to finalise planning ahead of the weekend. Welfare centres will be opened should they be needed in response to any flooding. Almost 800 Neighbourhood Support coordinators have been alerted to the situation and are liaising directly with residents in their communities to ensure information is getting through. The Council’s Strengthening Communities team has also been in touch with 100 community contacts across the city to ensure they are aware of the forecast weather and can pass information on to their communities. Contacts The Council’s call centre is ready to bring in more resource if the bad weather arrives, so that they can respond to residents’ calls. Please call (03) 941 8999 (0800 800 169 for Banks Peninsula residents) if you have questions or require assistance. Latest information and other emergency and welfare contact information can be found on the Council website
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 06:34:34 +0000
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