Floods highlight need for more people trained in civil defence

Problems dealing with February's floods were compounded when a third of regional council staff - including key engineers - could not get to work.

Horizons, the Manawatu-Wanganui regional council, has faced fierce criticism from farmers over its response to the devastating floods, and failure to maintain river stopbanks.

Chief executive Peter Davies said that absent staff included two engineering managers.

"But we had quite a few trained staff," he told the Palmerston North City Council.

The floods had highlighted the need for large numbers of people to be trained in civil defence, he said.

Breakdown in cellphone and landline links north of Feilding, and the police radio network, also delayed the council reaching damaged outlying areas.

Damage to farmland has been extensive and damage to the region is estimated at $100 million.

"We don't think there is enough grass seed in New Zealand to resow all the pasture that has been lost.

"The combined cost of three district councils (Manawatu, Rangitikei and Horowhenua) and Horizons is well over $100 million."

A regional delegation would this week ask the Government for help, he said.

Meanwhile, flood-affected farmers and homeowners have a week left to ask for help from the Red Cross Flood Appeal.

The appeal fund has received more than $2.5 million from councils, businesses, banks, TVNZ's Holmes programme and members of the public.

National president Jocelyn Keith said the money was being used to help homeowners hit by the floods, farmers whose livelihoods had been affected and families whose houses had been destroyed, seriously damaged or temporarily vacated.

- NZPA