Flood damage across the Waitaki district is "relatively mild" after Tuesday’s downpour, Waitaki District Council roading manager Mike Harrison says.
As of 5pm yesterday, Mr Harrison said 14 roads were closed across the district and road users needed to use another 19 with caution.
Flooding was mainly in the Corriedale, Waiareka Creek and Kakanui River catchment areas. The roading team was "well prepared" for those areas to sustain the most impact which made closing the roads easy, Mr Harrison said.
Tuesday’s rain had been a "heavy but short duration" event with minor disruptions.
"The locals will well and truly know it but we’d advise caution driving through any flooded water because you never know quite what’s underneath," Mr Harrison said.
With the rain easing, he expected the roads to reopen quickly in the next few days.
"We shouldn’t have a problem, though we’re due for a bit more rain come the weekend."
Large logs trapped around the Kakanui Bridge were causing pressure to the area, but there was enough free-flow through clear arches at the moment, he said.
The bridge remained open and contractors would arrive tomorrow to remove the logs.
"Contractors won’t be there until Friday because the depth of the water is too high around the bridge at the moment."
He encouraged anyone concerned about the roads to contact the council.
"If there’s something there that they’re concerned about and it hasn’t got a sign on it, it probably is something we don’t know about.
"They’re our eyes and ears — we can’t be everywhere."
