Flood scheme sabotage bid

Police have been called after an attempt to sabotage the workings of the flood protection scheme near Outram early this morning.

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The Otago Regional Council says an unauthorised person raised a floodgate in the early hours of this morning - preventing the rising river from being diverted into a ponding area.

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However, council staff noticed the raised gate and lowered it again this mroning, and the swollen river is now spilling into the Upper Taieri ponding area.

"The matter has been raised with the police who are investigating," a council spokesman said.