Wanganui's clean up begins (+video)

Wanganui will begin cleaning up today after the worst floods ever recorded.

Wanganui District Council's chief executive Kevin Ross said the focus today is to identify rural residents who have not been able to make contact and who may need assistance.

The Whanganui River level is dropping in the urban area so work is beginning on the clean-up operations. The building inspectors will begin assessing the worst affected urban properties for damage and possible contamination.

Residents should treat all flood waters, and areas that have previously been inundated with water, as contaminated, Mr Ross said.

The Dublin St bridge is open only to emergency vehicles and is unlikely to open to general traffic until at least noon today.

The city bridge is closed until the approaches on both sides of the bridge can be checked and made safe. The bridge itself has been assessed as structurally sound. A decision will then be made on whether the bridge can reopen, but this won't be until noon at the earliest.

The Aramoho Rail Bridge walkway is closed.

People who have evacuated their properties should not return home under any circumstances until the property has been assessed and decontaminated if necessary.

Access is available west and south on State Highway 3. State Highway 4 is still closed.

Some areas are still without power or are experiencing disruption to power supply as repairs are made. Power is out at Ahu Ahu, Blueskin, Brunswick, Kai Iwi, Paparangi, Rangitatau East, Te Tuhi Junction and Westmere. Currently power is expected to be restored to all of these areas by 6pm today.

Wanganui East residents can now access the city via a loop at the back of the eastern suburbs. The route is:

• Travel along Anzac Parade to Riverbank Road
• Turn right on to Kaimatira Road
• Turn left on to No 3 Line
• Continue up Okoia Hill Road
• Turn right on to No 2 Line
• Continue along No 2 Line and down Portal Street
• Turn left on to Anzac Parade and continue along Putiki Drive to State Highway roundabout
• Turn right on to State Highway 3 to Cobham Bridge.

This route cannot be accessed from the Eastown Road end of No 3 Line.

Part of the city centre remains cordoned off as a no-go zone (see map). Cordons are in place at:
• Taupo Quay/Heads Road near Suzuki New Zealand
• Taupo Quay/St Hill Street
• Taupo Quay/Victoria Avenue
• Taupo Quay/Bates Street
• Rutland Street/Market Place
• Rutland Street/Drews Avenue
• Market Place/Rutland Street
• Wilson Street/ Ridgway Street

Both Trafalgar Square public car parks (accessed from Taupo Quay and Wilson Street) are no-go zones.

Business premises in the bottom block of Victoria Avenue are able to open, other than MaxiLab, Thai Villa and Stellar.

Road closures - urban
Taupo Quay - between Bates Street and St Hill Street
Drews Avenue and Market Place - between Rutland Street and Taupo Quay
Peat Street by substation
Peat Park/London Street
Halswell Street
Alexander Street
Ikitara Road
Quick Avenue
Georgetti Road (open to residents only)
Shakespeare Road
Roberts Avenue
Lucknow Street
Mt View Road
Virginia Road

Road closures - rural
State Highway 4 Kaimatira to Raetihi
Kaukatea Valley Road
No 3 Line Wakefield Street to Kaimatira Road
Waikupa Road
Whanganui River Road
Kaurapaoa Road
Kaikokopu Road
Mangamahu Road
Kaimatira Road
Matarawa Valley Road
Okoia Road
Parihauhau Road
Ahu Ahu Valley Road
Rapanui Road
Kaukatea Valley Road
Papaiti Road closed (near 547)
Pipiriki Road
Smith Road
Polson Road
Tokomaru East Road
Tokomaru West Road
Koatanui Road
Rangitatau East Road
Watershed Road
Waipapa Road
Raupiu Road
Junction Road
Bruce Road
Creek Road
Mangawhero Road
Otamoa Road
Siceleys Road

City Bridge to Georgetti Road, and St John's Hill cycleway are both closed.