The New Zealand Defence Force has sent an additional 120 troops to help flood-stricken areas in Otago and Canterbury.
They worked alongside Otago Regional Council staff and contractors to block a hole alongside the Mill Creek pump station on the Taieri River stopbanks on Saturday afternoon.
Group Controller Scott MacLean said the sandbags and rock work had reduced the backflow that was threatening to undermine and demolish the stopbank, flooding the Mill Creek subdivision.
“The support from NZDF personnel has made a huge difference to the response, not just at Mill Creek but right across our operations.“
The Defence Force has now deployed at least a dozen trucks, 140 personnel and an ambulance to help tackle the floods.
In Dunedin, soldiers rescued nine people on Friday night after their vehicles became caught in floodwater in Mosgiel.
“We found them in the nick of time - they were suffering from hypothermia,” Major Keryn Robertson, Officer Commanding the Bravo Company RNZIR, said.
Two Defence Force trucks were sent to Oamaru on Friday night to deliver 1000 sandbags and six civilian firefighters.
“We are working with Civil Defence authorities to make sure people in affected areas get the help that they need,” Brigadier Mike Shapland, the Land Component Commander, said.
“We have personnel and assets on standby and can mobilise them at short notice, if needed.”
The Twin Peaks Battle Tab, a gruelling 26km race up the highest peaks surrounding Dunedin that was organised by the 2nd/4th Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR), had been cancelled and 120 NZDF personnel taking part reassigned to support the disaster relief efforts, Brigadier Shapland said.
Eight members of the Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 Scots), here for the Twin Peaks race, had also been helping in the relief effort.
Lieutenant Cam Howell, who is leading the 20-member NZDF contingent in South Canterbury, said soldiers helped paramedics evacuate an elderly man suffering from chest pain south of Timaru just before midnight overnight.
Five Defence Force trucks left Timaru at 5am today to patrol flooded communities in South Canterbury and ensure residents have evacuated to safer ground.
Two Defence Force trucks conducted similar patrols from midnight until dawn today.
