Otago weather: Dunedin faces recovery mode after flooding, evacuations and a state of emergency

Dunedin faces recovery mode after the “wettest day in over a century” led to evacuations and a state of emergency.

A MetService red warning, reserved for the most extreme weather events, was issued for North Otago, Dunedin and coastal Clutha from 11am on Thursday until it was lifted on Friday night.

This meant people needed to “act now” to protect people, animals and property.

And while the heaviest of the rain has ceased, locals have this morning been urged to continue to conserve water and stay off the roads if possible.

A state of emergency was declared in Dunedin just before midnight on Thursday as extreme downpours lashed the South Island city, forcing around 100 residents to evacuate.

As part of the emergency response, two welfare centres were set up at Forsyth Barr Stadium and East Otago Events Centre, providing food, water and refuge to evacuees. Others spent Thursday night in their cars.

According to Niwa, by 9am on Friday a Dunedin weather station had been hit by its “wettest day in over a century” with 130.8mm of rain recorded in 24 hours.

“The last time it was at least this wet in Musselburgh was in April 1923,” Niwa wrote.

Several houses and streets have been flooded in South Dunedin after an overnight downpour. Photo / George Heard

St Kilda couple Peter and Sasha Forester were among the residents who self-evacuated as the flooding intensified.

“Water was coming up our bathroom floor and our hallway floor and was getting close to both of our doors,” Sasha said.

They spent Thursday night in their car with their son and four pets.

“We’ve got an autistic son who didn’t want to get out of the car and he didn’t want to leave me by myself,” said Sasha.

After their St Kilda home was flooded, Peter and Sasha Forester spent the night in their car with their four pets and son. Photo / George Heard

Ian and Robyn Campbell also had to leave their home after their house was flooded late on Thursday night.

“Bugger,” Ian Campbell said.

Their house had extensive flooding, about 50mm high throughout the entire house.

“The water was coming up under the floor and up through the shower … a bit gutted really. You can’t stop the water. Sandbags will keep it out for a while but all sorts of places it was coming,” he said.

Mud and debris in Macandrew Bay amid Dunedin floods. Photo / George Heard

Some areas copped 74 days’ worth of rain in 40 hours, causing Dunedin to be cut off in every direction as floodwaters forced the closure of four state highways.

NZTA said State Highway 1 south of Dunedin, Waihola to Milton, north of Dunedin from Evansdale to Hampden as well as SH85 to Kyeburn were all closed off on Friday, as well as SH88 to Port Chalmers and SH87 to Kyeburn Bridge.

Civil Defence controller Chris Henderson issued a warning to “keep off the roads unless extremely essential”.

A car driving through the flooded streets in South Dunedin. Photo / George Heard

Across Dunedin, backyards turned into ponds and roads were forced underwater as surface flooding worsened throughout the day. Locals were warned to treat floodwaters as if they were contaminated. The Clutha District Council said many wastewater pump stations had overflowed in the heavy rain.

There was widespread flooding damage to the Otago peninsula roads, where the extreme weather caused slips, rendering the Royal Albatross Centre inaccessible.

Floods at the end of the Hargest Cres and Albert St intersection in Dunedin.

Clutha, 110km south of Dunedin, also declared a state of emergency as the state highway closure north of Milton caused an “overwhelming of the town’s services”, the council said.

Emergency management crews worked “around the clock” to clear roads and slips which had impacted the water main supplies around South Dunedin. Locals were urged to conserve as much water as possible – limiting shower usage or flushing the toilet.

Road access was closed along the Otago Peninsula after extreme wet-weather conditions caused flooding and slips along sections of it, making Pukekura/Taiaroa Head inaccessible. Photo / Royal Albatross Centre

At Friday morning’s press conference, Dunedin Mayor Jules Radhich paid tribute to the resilience of locals – helping themselves and others.

“I was extremely proud of our community,” Radich said.

“Everyone was calm and demonstrated a community coming together.”

Children surveying the waters during Dunedin floods. Photo / George Heard

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the state of emergency declared was, without a doubt, the right decision.

“The response here has been outstanding,” he said.

Mitchell visited Dunedin on Friday and spoke with mayors of the region.

“The mayor was out filling sandbags. Everyone just gets stuck in,” he said.

Mitchell said authorities had been proactive from as early as Thursday, and first responders had been quick to get to the ground.

“As a country we are going to continue to be hit by these weather events,” he said.

Flooded streets in South Dunedin. Photo / George Heard

Dunedin residents told to try and stay off the roads - conserve water

With weather starting to improve around Dunedin, residents are still being told to stay off the roads if possible.

They are also being encouraged to still try and conserve water.

”We are still in active response mode while also turning planning for recovery, and helping people who self-evacuated get back to their homes,” Civil Defence Controller Scott MacLean said this morning.

How long it will take to restore for water services for the West Harbour and Otago Peninsula is still not known.

“Our team is working hard to restore water to affected residents. We thank those communities for their efforts to conserve water. We ask them to please continue to conserve water for the time being.”

Contractors clearing a slip on Drivers Rd, Dunedin. Photo / George Heard

Roading contractors are out reassessing local roads.

Around 30 local roads remain closed. State highway information will be on the NZTA website.

Civil Defence warned given the rainfall, slips could continue for days or even weeks.

Slip photo taken near Waikouaiti, SH1 north of Dunedin on Saturday, October 5. Photo / NZTA

Taking shelter

Officials said more than 20 people sheltered in the welfare centre at Forsyth Barr Stadium plus four cats and one dog.

Officials said the welfare centre at Forsyth Barr Stadium was open (access through Gate J). Food is available on site.

“Please remember to take any necessary medications or medical equipment if you ae evacuating.

The damage caused by the Dunedin floods includes this massive slip which almost buried a house. Photo / George Heard

“Pets are also allowed if caged or under control.

“We ask that if people have no reason to be in a particular area, then they need to stay away unless checking on relatives or helping with any evacuation.”

Clean up begins

Dunedin residents have started what will be an extensive clean-up after yesterday’s floods.

Wānaka resident, Peter Edwards, 71 has been in Dunedin house-sitting parents home. He said he’d “never seen anything like it”.

“It was pretty harrowing... it’s extraordinary, I think they see this once in a century,” he said.

Dunedin residents take to the streets to begin cleaning up after yesterday's flood. Photo / George Heard

A Dunedin local, Jack Caswell said the water was “about six inches away from getting in the house”.

“Full credit to emergency services and crews, some young lady came and put sandbags here to stop the water,” he said.

Caswell was among many locals who were frustrated with rubber-neckers in the area.

The damage caused by the Dunedin floods includes this massive slip which almost buried a house. Photo / George Heard

“The bloody rubberneckers going down the street.... these people in their big ‘compensators’ as I call them... they don’t realise the bow wave they cause,” he said.

“The bow wave would push the water right up to the house it just pissed me off.”

Moreau Rd locals, Merridee, 73. and Kevin Watson, 74, said they watched as water flooded the houses surrounding their home.

Moreau Rd residents Merridee, 73, and Kevin Watson, 74. Photo / Ben Tomsett

“We were just watching the houses across the road thinking, oh, my goodness,” said Merridee.

The Watsons’ slightly elevated home narrowly avoided complete flooding.

“It was very, very close ... the water was just coming in all these houses around us it was awful,” said Merridee.

Bayview local Carl Aiau started his cleanup this morning.

Bayview resident Carl Aiau beginning the clean up after the flood. Photo / Ben Tomsett

“It was pretty full on, especially when they evacuated Surrey,” he said.

“The water came up to our step but never got into the house, we are lucky we were slightly elevated.”

A Dunedin man, who did not want his name published, spent the past two days taking care of his parent’s Bayview Rd property while they were overseas.

“The water got pretty high, the biggest problem was cars driving through, and creating the wake,”

The man said he was just pleased to see the back of it.

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.