Canterbury students will be among the recovery crews helping those affected by the Code Red storm that brought serious flooding and destruction to many parts of the region last week.
MetService issued a red alert for Canterbury on May 28 warning that 200 to 300 millimetres of rain was expected to fall over the high country in less than 48 hours, causing dangerous river conditions and significant flooding.
The weather event triggered a state of emergency, hundreds of evacuations, and closed roads and bridges throughout the region.
Debris on Pines Beach after the Waimakariri River flooded during heavy rain.
At its peak, some weather stations in the Canterbury high country recorded more than 300mm of rain in just two dayss, with one station receiving more than half a metre alone.
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Zodie Bonnett, Gateway programme coordinator at Ellesmere College, said about 10 senior students from her programme had put their hands up to help out flood-stricken locals.
The kids just wanted to help. We put a call-out to farmers to see who needed help and one just got back to us to say he really needed some support, so we’re going out on Tuesday.
The students would help clear a farm in Sheffield near the Waimakariri River, which had sustained significant damage to fences and had debris strewn across it.
Bonnett said she was very proud of the students who had taken it upon themselves to help locals in need.
Workers open a channel from Lake Ellesmere/Te Waihora to the Pacific Ocean in 2016.
The students approached me and said ‘look miss we want to help, we want to give back’ because a lot of these kids come from the farming community … so I think it means a lot to them personally.
Arrangements were already being made for the students to help out at other flood-damaged properties, she said.
Meanwhile, Environment Canterbury (ECan) rivers manager Leigh Griffiths said staff were busy working to ease the flood damage across the region on Sunday.
He said another 60 to 100mm of rain fell near the main divide this weekend, affecting many of the large alpine rivers.
Aerial views lay bare the extent of damage to the Canterbury Plains around Mt Somers following last weekend’s torrential downpours. The wider river channels in the foregrounds were newly-created by the floods.
There is some increase in flow, but we do not expect any problems. River levels may rise, but no flooding is expected. Environment Canterbury is continuing to monitor rainfall and river levels closely.
On Thursday, crews began cutting a channel from Lake Ellesmere/Te Waihora to the ocean something done during emergencies as well as for regular lake management.
Land around the coastal lake, especially the lower Selwyn Huts settlement near the Selwyn River mouth, flooded in last weekends storm. Residents from the several dozen houses in both the lower and upper Huts settlements were evacuated, but most had since returned.
Griffiths said the channel remained open to the sea on Sunday morning and crews were using a digger to further develop the channel, which was about 45 metres.
Flooding around Selwyn Huts.
The lake level had begun to drop on Sunday, he said.
There were about 14 active river work sites in Ashburton and water had been pushed away from two break-outs from the Orari River. Those sites were being strengthened on Sunday and work had begun on a third break-out site.
Emergency Management Canterbury group controller Don Chittock said welfare teams were out in rural areas throughout the weekend, making home visits to establish their immediate needs.
We are working with the Rural Support Trust and other networks to match immediate needs with offers of assistance and also build a more complete picture of social and economic impacts as we move towards recovery.
Royal New Zealand Airforce/Supplied
Damage to a bridge on Lees Valley Rd near the Waimakariri River from the recent flooding.
A Selwyn District Council spokesperson said they were working to restore water supplies to Arthur’s Pass and Castle Hill on Sunday.
A conserve water notice had been lifted for Arthur’s Pass, but residents still needed to boil their water.
We can’t yet guarantee the water is safe to drink. Please continue to boil water, they said.
The day the Farmy Army and the Student Volunteer Army came to Christchurch to help out following the 2011 earthquakes. Craig Williamson, left, of Prebbleton, Nelson Glass, of Southshore, and Chris Kelliher, of West Melton, all pitched in. (File photo)
A conserve water notice was also still in place for Castle Hill as the reservoir was running low and would take some time to refill.
Four areas in the Waimakariri District were evacuated during last weeks storm.
A Waimakariri District Council spokesperson said the rain this weekend was light and nothing like last weekend thankfully.
Tthe overall damage across the district was low, but the council was still supporting a small number of affected residents.
The Student Volunteer Army had also mobilised its troops to help with the flood recovery.
More than 100 students had signed up to help since the call went out on Tuesday morning.
Any volunteers wanting to assist should download the SVA App, while people needing help or support should let the SVA know either by calling 0800 005 902 or emailing hello@sva.org.nz.
Anyone struggling or feeling under pressure could talk to a trained counsellor by texting or calling 1737 or through the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.