Emergency Management Otago is urging travellers to delay their plans as heavy rain causes flooding and road closures around the South.
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- Check state highways
Group Controller for Emergency Management Otago Matt Alley said "as we head towards nightfall, driving is only going to get trickier in much of Otago, staying where you are for tonight is a better option than being stranded in your vehicle or needing to be rescued from a dangerous situation."
Earlier, many holidaymakers packed up and attempted to hit the road, resulting in major traffic delays as four state highways closed.
As of 5.30pm, NZTA/Waka Kotahi advised the following highway closures:
- SH6 between Kingston and Queenstown due to slips and flooding
- SH1 from Maheno to Reidston due to flooding
- SH87 from Kyeburn to Outram due to a bridge washout at Kokonga
- SH83 Otematata to Aviemore due to flooding
Mr Alley said Emergency Management Otago had been liaising closely with police and local councils during the day and would continue to monitor the situation into the evening.
"At this stage there is nothing that would escalate our situation to the point that civil defence needed to activate, but we have staff and resources available across the region if that changes," he said.
Otago Regional Council duty flood officer Eve Bruhns issued a statement shortly before 8pm Saturday warning that rivers across the region were expected to rise, "possibly significantly" overnight.
"Rivers are now running high throughout much of Otago, primarily in the Taieri, Clutha, Manuherekia and Kakanui catchments. With rainfall intensities through the evening expected to remain high across the region, rivers are expected to continue to rise."
"Greatest intensities of rainfall are predicted for coastal areas overnight; the Leith and Lindsay Rivers in urban Dunedin are continuing to be closely monitored."
Persistent and heavy rain has led to the cancellation or postponement of large-scale events scheduled for Saturday and there's a warning for road users to take care due to flooding.
Motorists throughout the South were advised to drive to the conditions after several crashes on wet inland Otago roads yesterday and a heavy rain warning for Dunedin, North Otago and Clutha north of Balclutha until 11pm today.
The heavy rain watch also applied to Central Otago, the Southern Lakes and Southland, north of Gore, until 9pm today, as well as the Canterbury High Country, south of Fairlie, Thunderstorms were also possible.
The Central Otago District Council (CODC) advised at 9.30am today of isolated surface flooding throughout the area and river levels were beginning to rise.
"If you are camping, take advice and relocate to higher grounds."
By 3pm, there was a big traffic snarl-up where State Highway 6 meets State Highway 8B at Cromwell as many decided to abandon their plans. A police officer was on point duty at Cromwell due to the queues.
Traffic was moving at crawl from both the Queenstown and Wanaka directions to the T-intersection, with vehicles lined up for several kilometres each way.
The logjam extended to where SH8B meets SH8 at the Devils Point Bridge intersection. Traffic travelling to either Queenstown or Wanaka was moving freely.
In South Otago, the Clutha District Council said there was a lot of traffic on roads but not many were driving to conditions, despite extensive surface flooding.
"We ask that all road users please use caution, drive to the conditions and follow the signs."
Four generations of one family took the warnings seriously and decided to head for home from their Omakau campsite.
The family group had variously set up camp beside the Manuherikia River in the shadow of the Ida Valley-Omakau Rd bridge from December 28 until New Year's Day and more family were expected to arrive today.
Justine Broadley, of Dunedin, said the family had been returning to the same site as long as she could remember and only once, about 20 years ago, had their holiday been interrupted by flooding.
Her mother, Colleen Witchall agreed. "We woke up one morning and the toilet tent was full of water.’’
Ms Broadley said they had decided to pack up and go home this afternoon, saying they did not want to be forced to leave in the middle of the night if things got worse.
About 20 other camping set-ups were at the same spot this morning.
The New Zealand Transport Agency said just after 1pm today that State Highway 6 (Frankton to Kingston) was closed due to a slip. "Please avoid the area and delay your journey if possible."
The Otago Regional Council (ORC) advised early this afternoon that as a MetService heavy rain warning in place for parts of Otago, rivers are rising in coastal and North Otago and could continue to rise significantly this afternoon and overnight.
Saturday's heavy rainfall was forecast to intensify, with a further 60-100mm expected in coastal Otago and Dunedin city catchments this afternoon and tonight.
The Otago Regional Council said North Otago’s Kakanui and Kauru rivers had risen rapidly this morning and were expected to continue to swell.
"While flows are currently low in Dunedin and the lower Clutha, headwaters are rising rapidly in the Taieri catchment, with the Silverstream and other rivers in the Taieri catchment likely to rise significantly as a result. This could result in flooding within the Gordon Road floodway."
Heavy flooding was also affecting the Sowburn Bridge at Patearoa this afternoon.
There is surface flooding in the Otago region, including State Highway 6 (Wyecreek to Kingston) and SH87 at Middlemarch, near the intersection with Settlement Rd.
In North Otago, flooding has closed part of the Alma-Maheno Road (State Highway 1) after the Kakanui River breached its banks in the morning.
There was also flooding in the Waitaki Valley, where the Otematata River had burst its banks.
There is also surface flooding affecting parts of State Highway 82 and 83 in Canterbury.
CENTRAL OTAGO ROADS AFFECTED
The Central Otago District Council said flooding has closed Naseby Link Road, Naseby Gimmerburn Road, Old Dunstan Road, Kokonga Road, Auripo Road and Strode Road (Earnscleugh).
Patearoa Township Bridge has also been closed but there is a detour via Aitken Road and McSkimming Road.
Holidaymaker Grant McKenzie said the rain had fallen consistently in the area for about 20 hours.
Mr McKenzie described damage to both the Patearoa township bridge and the Sowburn Bridge.
The township bridge had a fair bit of debris, including trees, trapped below it.
Picnic tables at the Sowburn Bridge, where the town's swimming hole is, had been scattered through farmer's paddocks up to 1km away.
The tarseal in Ranfurly-Patearoa Rd had lifted.
"And the water is still flowing," he said. "There is still a lot of it around and it's just started raining heavy again."
Caution was advised on the Ida Valley Omakau Road due to extensive surface flooding from Auripo Road to Oturehua township.
Teams will be working in the Maniototo clearing debris off bridges and culverts to reduce flooding, she said.
TRIATHLON, FOOD FESTIVAL AND RACES OFF
In Cromwell, organisers of The Gate Lake Dunstan Triathlon and Duathlon have postponed the event in the interests of safety and said a new date would be set as soon as possible.
The Cromwell Wine and Food Festival, scheduled to take place in the town's heritage precinct from 3pm, has been cancelled.
The Omakau Trots also became a casualty of the weather. The Central Otago Trotting Club cancelled today's race meeting, expected to draw thousands of punters, due to what it described as "major surface flooding" through out the car park and racecourse.
Club president Graham Sinnamon had to make the tough call after monitoring the track through the night. "Head versus heart - it was a horrible decision to have to make."
The Glenorchy Races have been postponed until tomorrow due to the rain.
However, the Wanaka rodeo will go ahead as planned.
MORE HEAVY RAIN FORECAST
MetService weather forecaster Aidan Pyselman urged motorists to drive to the conditions in Otago-Southland given that heavy rain was expected to continue today and could, in some places, reach up to 140mm by 11pm, since the start of yesterday, and, further rain was also expected tomorrow.
Dunedin city had yesterday recorded 28mm of rain, by 6pm, and today would be ‘‘not a great day’’ in terms of rain, and ‘‘still more rain’’ would fall tomorrow.
A further 60mm to 100mm of rain was expected today, with the largest amounts likely about the hills and ranges of North Otago and Dunedin.
Monday would be drier and warmer, with 19degC predicted for Dunedin, up from 13degC at 3pm yesterday and the weather would improve until Wednesday, he said.
- By Jared Morgan, John Gibb and ODT Online
