Power remains out for hundreds of homes in North Canterbury, while people are being urged to avoid rivers and hold off clearing debris from their properties following severe weather.
North Canterbury lines company MainPower is continuing to restore power, with around 420 households still impacted in the district as at lunchtime today.
MainPower advised people to stop clearing debris and fallen trees on their properties until any downed power lines can be assessed, as they may still be live.
Generators are in use for the Garrymere and Oxford No 1 schemes still affected by power outages.
Residents are urged to stay away from rivers, which contain debris and multiple hazards.
Waimakariri emergency services staff and volunteers worked late last night as flood levels rose.
Mayor-elect Dan Gordon said about half of the 191 Kairaki and Pines Beach households voluntarily evacuated from their homes last night due to rising water levels in the Waimakariri River.
Water levels passed the 2500 cumecs per second threshold after heavy rain in the alpine region.
Residents were allowed to return home this morning.
It followed severe winds throughout the Canterbury region yesterday, with Oxford and the western part of the Waimakariri district taking a battering.
The timing of the event meant Mr Gordon had not been sworn in as mayor, despite winning a third term by more than 10,000 votes.
He is due to be sworn in on Wednesday, October 29.
Despite this, Mr Gordon said he had been spending long hours supporting the Emergency Operations Centre, attending briefings, fronting media, and visiting the welfare centre at the Kaiapoi Rugby Club rooms.
‘‘Nothing really changes in that regard, you are just not able to declare a civil defence emergency,’’ Mr Gordon said.
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell stepped in on Wednesday to declare a local state of emergency on behalf of Canterbury’s mayors.
Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie had been ready to swear in Hurunui mayor-elect Marie Black, who was re-elected unopposed.
Waimakariri chief executive Jeff Millward had also raised the option of swearing in Mr Gordon, but it wasn’t needed.
Mr Gordon said it had been ‘‘a huge effort’’ from council staff, Environment Canterbury staff and emergency services, including police, Fire and Emergency NZ, MainPower and the Waimakariri NZRT12 emergency response team.
‘‘The amazing effort really does show to me the real care there is in our community.’’
The council wound down its emergency response centre at lunchtime today. But staff and partner agencies will continue to monitor and respond to the impacts from the weather event, Mr Gordon said.
- By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
• LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
