COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGES FATALITY DUE TO FLOODING EVENT

Ōtorohanga District Council this morning acknowledges the tragic news that a man has lost their life due to the severe flooding event that overwhelmed the district last night.

Police have confirmed a man died when their vehicle was submerged in flood waters on Kiwi Road off State Highway 39.

 Mayor Rodney Dow says his heart go out to the family.

“This is devasting news for our community. Right now, our focus is on supporting those affected, as well as the emergency workers and support agencies who are also helping,” he says.

An Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was stood up in the Council Chambers last night and a local state of emergency was declared early this morning (12.57am).

The declaration was signed following formal advice from CDEM Duty Controller Dave Simes. It enables emergency services and response agencies to draw on resources, and enact additional powers, to assist those affected. It will expire in seven days.

The weather event that hit Ōtorohanga District and the wider region last night has been described as a significant flood event, with rainfall between 150-300ml recorded.

Simes says weather events can be very unpredictable at times, with the severity of events becoming more frequent over the past few years.

“We are thankful that we were given the heads up by Metservice that heavy rain and thunderstorms were heading our way, but it can be hard to predict how much impact it will have on our communities,” he says.

“That is why it is important to be prepared and listen to advice from Council and Civil Defence.”

He says it could take multiple days to fully understand the damage caused by the weather event.

“We ask that the community please stay away from flooded areas and slips as it is unsafe.”

Residents currently impacted by the weather event are being asked to self-evacuate if they do not feel safe staying in their home.

St David’s Church at 9 Ranfurly Street and Te Kotahitanga Marae on 93 Ōtewā Road, is open to anyone who needs somewhere warm and dry.

Council staff and emergency services continue to assess the impact and damage to infrastructure and the roading network.

“Our Civil Defence team and Council staff have all worked hard behind the scenes to ensure our response operation runs as smoothly as possible, I thank them for their hard work,” says Mayor Dow.

If you need help, please contact Council’s 24/7 call centre on 0800 734 000.