Student army coming to help flood-ravaged Roxburgh

A damaged garden in Tweed St, near Reservoir Creek earlier this week. Photo: Tom Kitchin

An army  of students wielding shovels, brooms and wheelbarrows is set invade Roxburgh this weekend.

The "army"  will be coming  to help clean up the town following the flash floods last Sunday.

Central Otago District Council chief executive Leanne Mash said the University of Canterbury's Student Volunteer Army was coming to support  Roxburgh locals in the "Shift that Silt" initiative.

Ms Mash said anyone over  16 years old could volunteer.

Approached for comment last night, Otago University Students Association president Hugh Baird said he supported the Canterbury student initiative and would today contact the volunteer army to discuss how Otago students could contribute.

He would also check  if Otago students were available through the University of Otago's Volunteer Centre and UniCrew.

Teviot Valley community board member Sally Feinerman  said  the entire township's sewerage system  was fully operational by 4.30pm yesterday.

Council communications co-ordinator Maria De Cort said SH8 was still closed on both sides of Roxburgh and would be reassessed today at noon.

Chief financial officer Bernard Murphy said the district council had not insured its underground infrastructure but had instead set aside an amount each year to cover  any damage. The only other option would be to borrow if the damage was "extreme".

Lynn Parker

Central Otago police sub-area supervisor Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said police had received complaints about drivers speeding  through the diversion  on the bypass road, Teviot Rd, on the east side of the Clutha River.

"Motorists need to slow down on the detour routes for the safety of all. Speeding can kick up dust, affecting visibility for motorists."

Scotland St residents Cliff and Lynn Parker, who have been working hard clearing their property over the last few days, were not  concerned by the town's problems.

"We're used to this sort of thing because we lived on an orchard and every now and again we'd have no water, so it's no big hassle," Mrs Parker said.

Spending  nearly four days without a flushable toilet was not a problem either, she said.
"The Portaloos are not far away - only the next house over."

Another Scotland St resident, Des Taylor, said the contractors were doing a "brilliant job."
"We've had this for three days with Third World conditions - in Christchurch they had it for years. I feel really sorry for them."

Thrillseekers have been kayaking in the new rapids in the Clutha River in the north end of the township over the last few days. The rapids were formed by the Reservoir Creek rockfall.

Central Otago Whitewater Club secretary Anthony Longman said while it was nice to have the rapids,  people should help others clean up their homes first.

"I haven't seen [the rapids] myself. It would be great for Roxburgh for it to be a permanent feature but it's probably best to take a wheelbarrow and spade, not paddles."
— Tom Kitchin, additional reporting John Gibb.