Water recedes but motorists urged to be wary of flood damage

Clutha authorities were keeping a close check on the Clutha River at Balclutha yesterday, as it...
Clutha authorities were keeping a close check on the Clutha River at Balclutha yesterday, as it swelled with rainwater. Photo by William Bisset/southernswaggie.com

Drivers are being urged to continue to take extreme care on all roads in the wider Clutha district today after flooding in the area over the past two days.

Surface flooding receded yesterday and the lower Clutha and Pomahaka Rivers were dropping after reaching flood warning levels.

Motorists were advised by the Clutha District Council to drive with caution and to continue to take care on the roads, where there could still be water, debris and surface damage.

Roads closed by surface flooding across the district were gradually reopened through the day, although several roads around Pomahaka and Toko Mouth remained closed last night.

Karoro Creek Rd, which was washed out, remained closed in the south.

Outlying roads are still being assessed for damage.

Roads in West Otago affected by the Pomahaka River would reopen as river levels dropped, hopefully by this morning, a council spokeswoman said.

The downpour had not resulted in any known issues with council water supplies, although there had been some sewage overflows in Milton and Balclutha, she said.

Those affected should contact the council for help with any clean-up.

Two houses were flooded in Milton and the residents evacuated as a result.

There was surface flooding and some outbuildings flooded at Taieri Mouth.

Areas the scheduled wheelie bin collection truck could not reach yesterday, would be serviced today.

An Otago Regional Council spokesman said those rivers in the region which remained high as a result of receiving rainfall from catchment headwaters were expected to recede over the next two to three days.

At Balclutha, the Clutha River was flowing at 1500cumecs at 6pm, after peaking at 1600cumecs about noon.

Add a Comment