An exercise to test the capacity and effectiveness of civil defence and emergency teams during a major snowstorm affecting almost all the Otago region will be held next week.
Operation centres will be run in Dunedin, Oamaru, Balclutha, Alexandra and Queenstown during the exercise on Tuesday afternoon.
Otago Civil Defence emergency management group co-ordinator Scott McNaughton said a snowstorm event had been chosen because it was timely and would test the links between the region's territorial authorities.
"It's the middle of winter, a snowstorm could happen next week."
The exercise was designed largely as a learning opportunity to allow agencies to activate their emergency operating centres, and practise the co-ordination of response activities.
There would be an emphasis on rural support networks and lifeline utilities, he said.
"The exercise will test the capacity and effectiveness of civil defence and emergency management resources across Otago."
The exercise activities should not affect the public.
