Source: Radio New Zealand
Water rushing over a blown out culvert on Corcoran Rd, Te Pahu, Waipā. Supplied/Ryan Vickers
Both Waipā and Ōtorohanga Districts have extended their respective states of emergency for a further seven days.
Both districts experienced localised flooding after storms on Friday 13 February, which also washed away a water treatment plant supplying the township of Pirongia in Waipā.
Waipā Mayor Mike Pettit said the district still had a long way to go when it came to repairs.
“What we’re focused on at the moment is making sure people are safe and secure and trying to get people back into their homes, that’s our first mission.”
Across both districts 16 properties had been given a yellow sticker, restricting access, while eight properties still needed to be assessed.
He said there was some roading damage in Waipā, but the damage to water infrastructure was extensive, especially in Pirongia.
“And some of it simply isn’t there anymore.”
Pettit said the upcoming switchover of the Pirongia water supply would be a critical time.
In an update on Friday morning, the councils said the decision to extend the state of emergency followed ongoing response efforts by both councils, emergency services, iwi and partner agencies after severe weather events across the two districts.
The state of emergency would remain in place until Saturday, 28 February, enabling response agencies to continue accessing resources and act quickly to support affected communities.
Ōtorohanga District Mayor Rodney Dow said conditions in parts of the district remained challenging, with ongoing impacts to roads, farms and access routes.
“Our district has been significantly affected, and the state of emergency gives us the ability to keep supporting communities, coordinate response efforts and respond quickly as conditions continue to change.
“The extension is not a reason to panic. It enacts the right legal settings to continue managing the situations in the best way possible.”
Ōtorohanga District Mayor Rodney Dow. RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Ten properties on Whatauri Rd, near Arapuni had lost road access after a bridge was destroyed. The council said a replacement bridge and road was due to be completed and, in the meantime, residents had quadbike arrangements to get in and out.
Another six properties were affected after a bridge was destroyed on Mangati Road, Ōtorohanga. The council said this would need a longer-term solution to fix but people had been given private access through a property.
A long-term detour would need to remain in place on State Highway 39.
Altogether, there were currently 34 displaced people, relating to Phillips Ave (Ōtorohanga) and Corcoran Rd (Waipā district).
Local iwi had suspended commemorations of the Battle at Rangiaowhia this weekend to allow the community to focus on recovery efforts. The Western Waikato Emergency Operating Centre paused on Friday morning to acknowledge the memorial.
Pettit said the council had some long-term decisions to make, but for now it was focused on bringing back normality.
The Waipā District Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund was now open for applications from people and groups across the district.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
