Local Focus: Whanganui mayor discusses flood preparedness in the region

With storms and floods across the North Island and a history of flooding in the city, Whanganui District Council has been hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

“We’ve been learning as we go, particularly [in] the 2015 weather event,” Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe said.

“Working with our neighbours and just... over time, just accumulating knowledge and continuous improvements over that time.”

Emergency manager Tim Crowe says Whanganui is equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring systems and an extensive network of residents to assist with monitoring river levels.

“[We have] satellite feeds, the Horizons flood pages and monitoring systems as well,” he said.

“Cameras on the awa, the rivers, quite a few processes using IT, as well as even individuals to keep a close eye on developments as they go.”

Tripe says there are already “mitigations in place” for flood-prone areas in the city and believes Whanganui is in a strong position to respond to an emergency.

“We know that the low-lying areas are around Putiki and Anzac Parade.

“We’re not just an urban area. With a weather event, there’s a risk of landslides in the hill country areas. But at the end of the day, we’re accumulating knowledge about our district, urban and rural as a whole.”