Flood-hit areas get $12m more

Lower North Island areas affected by last February's floods will receive an extra $12 million in aid.

The money will go to the Wellington and Manawatu-Wanganui regional councils.

Civil Defence Minister George Hawkins said $10 million would go to help repair Manawatu-Wanganui flood protection and drainage schemes damaged by the floods.

The Government usually gave financial assistance once repair costs were established, but in this case it was giving the money based on estimates.

Mr Hawkins said $800,000 of the new money would help to pay for a catchment scheme for the lower Kiwitea Stream.

In February, the stream flooded kilometres of paddocks and contributed to the flooding of Feilding.

The town was in one of the areas worst-affected by the flood, the most severe in the region in 100 years.

Of the money going to the Greater Wellington Regional Council, $669,000 would help to pay for repairs to damaged river systems in Wairarapa, Kapiti, the Hutt Valley and Wellington, and water supply systems at Wainuiomata and Kaitoke.

"The funding will also cover response costs incurred in providing emergency access to power and communication facilities," Mr Hawkins said.

The new grants are on top of financial assistance given to residents, farms and businesses.

Government departments say this has cost about $160 million.

Mr Hawkins said more assistance was expected to be announced in the new year, once councils had finished identifying their total costs.

- NZPA