Floods hit Dannevirke twice in a week

Bow-waves through flood water on Dannevirke's Queen Street 3pm Wednesday.

Twice in three days last week Dannevirke was hit by 3pm with convectional storms reminiscent of the tropics. The impact was limited to the town itself, areas outside it reporting no rain at all.

On Monday 23mm fell in an hour flooding a number of buildings on High Street including Wards Pharmacy, Derek's Electrical and NZCU Baywide which had to close early.

On Ward Street a coke bottle in a downpipe caused a buildup of water above the Fountain Theatre which then surged through the auditorium knee deep and out the front door.

The Dannevirke Fire Brigade pumped out the water, a commercial cleaner from Palmerston North came and dried out carpets and furniture in time for the Vicar of Dibley to open successfully on Wednesday night having luckily survived the latest deluge.

Stacking the furniture in the Fountain Theatre on Monday so it was all dry for Vicar of Dibley opening night Wednesday.

Wednesday afternoon was a repeat of Monday only for some businesses it was worse.

Activate Gym which had minor flooding from The Hub carpark runoff on Monday had a shallow river running into the building on Wednesday reaching well into the gym.

Owner Erana Peeti-Webber said she asked the Tararua Alliance for sandbags in anticipation of a repeat after seeing the forecast but they did not arrive in time.

The residue of flood damage at Activate Gym where sandbags arrived too late on Wednesday.

Wards Pharmacy had even greater runoff from the carpark behind the shop on Wednesday and was forced to close at 3pm as power went out. Thanks to huge work by the staff it was back functioning on Thursday morning but display cases had to be moved to dry out the carpet.

Firemen attend the 123Plus shop after water flooded from the shop frontage roof.

Derek's Electrical was similarly affected on Wednesday and remained closed on Thursday drying out.