PM Jacinda Ardern in Canterbury to look at flood damage

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern arrived in Mid Canterbury this morning to inspect the flood-damaged region, which has been split in two after the closure of the SH1 Ashburton River bridge.

While flows in the Ashburton River reduced dramatically overnight, traffic driving over the bridge before 7am on Tuesday reported it buckling.

• Ashburton bridge closed due to 'slumping'
• Flooding delays deliveries

Engineers have confirmed there is significant damage and the bridge will be closed for at least several days.

Travellers have been advised not to queue at the bridge as travel across is not possible.

An alternative route across the river is being worked on.

Ardern and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor travelled to Ashburton in a Defence Force helicopter which landed at the town's helipad at about 10am.

Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown will join Ardern, acting Emergency Management Minister Kris Faafoi and O’Connor this morning for a helicopter flight over the Ashburton district, which has received up to 300mm of rain in the foothills since Saturday morning.

Brown said the group would visit a farm in the district and one near Geraldine.

The prime minister would also visit the emergency operations centre at the Ashburton District Council for a briefing.

Brown said Ardern phoned him this morning to ask was assistance was needed.

‘‘I said we are good for now but as it unfolds it will become apparent what we really need.’’

He said the district had received good assistance so far from emergency services, including police, the army, St John and Fire and Emergency NZ.

The SH1 river bridge is the main link between Ashburton and Tinwald, though work is under way to repair roads and bridge approaches on an inland route.

Police were stopping people and cars from going onto the bridge this morning. A slump is visible mid-way.

Typically, there would be 21,000 vehicles going over the bridge on a weekday, peaking at 30,000 vehicles per day on weekends, Brown said.

The bulk of the damage in the district was on roads and private farms, he said.

O'Connor said an adverse event would be declared for Canterbury later today, to unlock funding support for farmers.

An up-to-date map of the road closures in the district can be found here.

State highway update

CLOSED
SH1 Burnham to Dunsandel
SH1 Ashburton, The Ashburton (Hakatere) River Bridge
SH1 Temuka remains closed with the closure now from Donald St to Lynnford Rd in Hinds.
SH73 Springfield to Castle Hill - next update due by midday Thursday, 3 June
SH77 Darfield to Mount Hutt

REOPENED
SH77 Mount Hutt to Winchmore
SH79 Orari to Rangitata

OPEN
SH1 Ashburton near Saunders Rd - Flooding
SH1/SH8 Timaru to Fairlie - Flooding
SH75 Barrys Bay to Birdlings Flat
SH77 Mount Hutt to Winchmore - Flooding
SH79 Geraldine to Rangitata - Flooding
SH8 Fairlie to Tekapo (Burkes Pass) - Flooding
SH82 Station Peak - Flooding

-Linda Clarke, Ashburton Courier, RNZ