Wanganui Chronicle Flood Feature

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Cover photo by Mark Brimblecombe

WANGANUI

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Message from Mayor

How to help

Annette Main

I

t has been a tough couple of weeks for our community as we take stock of the largest flood ever recorded in the Whanganui district and continue the process of what will be a long recovery.

This has been a challenging and heart-breaking time for everyone involved but the way we are working together shows that we live in a very strong, compassionate and incredibly supportive community.

I appreciate your patience during what has been an incredibly stressful time for many, especially those families and business owners who have been evacuated from, or have had damage to, their properties.

I have heard so many great stories about people looking after each other whether it has involved checking on neighbours, mucking in with the relief effort by picking up a shovel and wheelbarrow, contributing copious amounts of baking, or donating clothes,

Volunteer effort We’ve been overwhelmed with people wanting to help with the clean-up. If you are keen to help, please officially register with our Volunteer Coordinator on (06) 349 3055.

If you need assistance with the clean-up, please contact the Recovery Office on (06) 349 3055.

bedding, furniture and food. The overwhelming offers of help both locally and from around the country makes me proud to be the Mayor of such a caring community.

The recovery is a team effort with a large number of agencies and organisations working really well together. It will be a long-term process to work through the recovery phase so we need to remember that while some of us are able to continue with our lives as normal, others will be dealing with the effects of this emergency for a long time to come.

The process of cleaning up will not be an easy task, but I know with the help of the community and with the support of the Government, we will get there.

Thank you for the kind messages you have sent to me, to the Civil Defence team and to the other agencies we are working with. Thank you too, for the support you have offered each other. It’s great to be Mayor of a district where people are so thoughtful and understanding.

Mayoral Fund There is a Mayoral Fund at Westpac to assist with immediate needs and support to affected communities.

The account number is 03 0791 0355050 04.

Manawatu Whanganui Regional Disaster Fund Trust The Wanganui District Council also will be contributing to the Manawatu Whanganui Regional Disaster Fund Trust. This fund will focus on longer-term needs.

If you would like to make a donation to this fund, the account number is 03 0728 0411355 00.

Donations of food and household items The Whanganui Regional Health Network is collecting donations of nonperishable food and household items which will be distributed by the Red Cross to rural families isolated in flooded areas.

The Whanganui Regional Health Network is situated at Gate 2, Whanganui Hospital, 100 Heads Road and open for drop-offs from 8.00am to 5.00pm. If you wish your donations to be picked up, please ring (06) 348 0109. If you would prefer to donate vouchers, these will be used to purchase food and essential items.

Contact information Key agencies involved in the response are working to keep their online resources, such as websites and Facebook pages, as current as possible. We encourage you to ‘bookmark’ these sites for information on this and future events. www.wanganui.govt.nz www.facebook.com/wanganuidistrictcouncil www.facebook.com/yourmayorannettemain Civil Defence Emergency Management Facebook Pages www.facebook.com/civildefencemanawatuwanganui www.facebook.com/nzgetthru NZTA – highway information www.nzta.govt.nz or 0800 HIGHWAYS Horizons Regional Council – river levels www.horizons.govt.nz/choose-river-rainfall-chart

Annette Main Mayor of Wanganui

Overset

When disaster strikes it’s nice to know you are not alone.

And you’re not!

We’ve been supplying paper to the Wanganui Chronicle for many years and make it just up the road at our Tasman mill in the Bay of Plenty.

We’re really pleased that by donating the paper this publication is printed on we can make a contribution to helping Wanganui recover.

Newspaper printers for Wanganui Chronicle SUPPORTING THE MAYORAL FLOOD RELIEF FUND

B BEACON

PRINT ’ HAWKES BAY

Up to 25,000 copies per hour being produced off the Goss Community Press

Grant Foote (L) and Gerry Morris quality checking newspapers in production

Finished newspapers moving off the inserting line to automated stackers ready for distribution

207 Wilson Rd, Hastings T 06 281 2801 E admin@beaconprint.co.nz

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Message from

Message from

R

S

Andy Watson

angitikei residents and others across our region have experienced another major flood event. The heavy rain started on Friday evening and just did not stop until late on Saturday night. During that period up to 150 mm of rain fell, meaning most south-western areas of our District experienced at least a 1 in 75 year flood event.

The damage from the floods is extensive and it will take time for our district to recover. The damage to our roading network alone is likely to cost the District $10 - $20 Million, and will take months to fully repair and reinstate. Some of our farmers have been hit hard, so the economic cost to them and our District is significant.

This event was on a similar scale to that experienced in 2004, but this time the extent and duration of the heavy rain we experienced was not forecast. This made the response very difficult, which was not helped by the loss of mobile phone and internet communications in Marton.

During this event there were grave concerns about the safety of residents in the most affected areas. Fortunately our civil defence plans and response was up to the task, and our residents were kept from serious harm.

Despite the challenges the community response was fantastic, with people pulling together to help each other. A huge thanks goes out to our urban and rural volunteer firefighters, the spontaneous volunteers from the community, including those that sandbagged the Marton main street on Saturday night, local businesses that have and are continuing to assist us. We’re grateful for the NZ Army support, who assisted with evacuations on Saturday night at Koitiata (where 154mm of rain was recorded in the village during the 48 hours between Fri and Sun mornings), and all our other emergency services that gave or offered their assistance.

- I thank you all for your support and generous spirit. A special thanks also to those people in our community that offered accommodation to those who were evacuated.

We are now in the recovery phase of this event, and it’s important that our affected residents know what support is available to them. For those residents who were evacuated the focus is on getting them back into own homes. In some cases the extent of damage to their houses mean they are unliveable, so finding alternative long-term accommodation is a priority.

Short–term financial assistance and other support is available through local Ministry of Social Development/ Work and Income Offices. A rural support network has been established to assist our farmers.

We are a caring country and there are lots of people who want to help. Several funds have been set up to receive donations and provide financial assistance to those most affected by these floods. The NZ Red Cross have started a national fundraising campaign, the Regional Disaster Relief Fund – established in 2004 – has been reactivated, and I have established a Rangitikei Mayoral Fund. Any donation, however, small will be gratefully received. Further information on these funds and how to donate is available from the Rangitikei District Council and on our website - www.rangitikei.govt.nz.

We are a resilient community, and together we will get through this event.

Andy Watson Mayor of Rangitikei

Andy Jarden

ome are calling June 2015 the biggest ever flood to inundate Wanganui, and certainly it was right up there with 1904 and 1940, the previous two largest floods to reach half way up the bridge block, within millimetres of the Embassy Theatre front step, and enter into 300-plus homes in the city’s low-lying areas of Wanganui East and Putiki on Sunday morning.

Congratulations to Civil Defence, our local councils and emergency service staff who have all worked tirelessly to ensure residents safety. Testimony to their efforts is the fact that there was no loss of life – a miracle given the widespread carnage the flood has inflicted on town and country.

Then there are the volunteers coming forward to help with the cleanup, residents opening up their homes to complete strangers, and those volunteering food, blankets, and cash to the mayoral relief funds set up by local mayors. It reminds us of what a special place we live in, with such resilient and generous people all supporting and assisting their neighbours following this devastating event.

While many families throughout the region have suffered, it is our rural community that have been hardest hit – utter devastation wrought on rural properties all over the region, and this only 11 years after the February 2004 storm which saw many of our local farms annihilated.

The mayoral relief funds will provide some help to those worst affected, and the Wanganui Chronicle and NZME are doing our bit to raise funds for this appeal, with 10% of all advertising revenue in this feature, and 100% of all flood feature cover price sales to be donated to the mayoral flood relief funds. We have printed 5000 additional copies of this feature, and are selling it across the entire North Island by utilising the strength of NZME’s seven daily newspapers, 23 community newspapers and 11 radio stations.

If you would like to purchase some additional copies to send to friends and relatives, you can do so from your local dairy, bookshop, or closest NZME newspaper office, with all of the $5 purchase price to be forwarded on to

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the local mayoral flood relief fund .

Finally I would like to pay tribute to our amazing Wanganui Chronicle staff, who have worked tirelessly in trying conditions – many without power and damage to their own properties – to ensure the Chronicle was published. Reporters and photographers came in on their day off when the flood struck on Sunday and provided fantastic up-todate coverage on our website while not even knowing if we would be able to print and publish the next day’s newspaper, with communications down and all roads in and out of Wanganui closed. But we got there, the paper must come out!

With our papers printed in Hastings these days (just as well with the river surrounding our old premises in Taupo Quay), there was no way we could get the printed papers back to Wanganui by road.

Special thanks to Nathan Mauchline of Air Wanganui who flew our 1,000kg Chronicle consignment from Hastings Aerodrome to Wanganui airport last Sunday in the middle of the night, coast to coast across mountain ranges and in inclement weather. We had the paper back in Wanganui three hours earlier than normal, with our dedicated delivery team, braving flooded streets and roads to deliver the Chronicle ahead of time.

We will get through this devastating event by continuing to support those worst affected, and by ‘chewing off bite sized chunks’ prioritising those areas that need to be resurrected first. That way, little by little, we will get there, and return our beautiful city to its former glory.

Andy Jarden Wanganui Chronicle General Manager

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Message from Chairman

Bruce Gordon

A

t around 3am Sunday 21 June, the Whanganui River reached a peak of 9 metres at Town Bridge, registering its highest level and flows on record.

It was one of a number of rivers affected by heavy rainfall across the Horizons Region and there will be many communities feeling the effects of flooding for weeks and months to come. While the photos in this edition

tell a story of devastation, they also tell a story of resilience. That resilience is in both the communities affected and in our flood protection network as we move to the recovery phase.

With an event of this scale, comparisons to the flooding experienced by much of the Region in 2004 are unavoidable. While the recent floods weren’t as widespread and river levels were much higher in Wanganui, much of the difference can be accounted for by the number of flood protection schemes that have been upgraded in the 11 years to date.

These upgrades include a new stopbank at Balgownie on the Whanganui River

which, had it not been in place, is estimated would have resulted in around $31 million of damage.

As is the case in these types of extreme events, there were areas that were inundated. Stopbanks at Anzac Parade/Kowhai Park performed as they were designed to do. This is to provide protection to a maximum 50 year standard. In this case, River levels exceeded the design standard and water overtopped into the surrounding area. However, fortunately, our pre-warning systems also performed as designed, allowing Horizons’ Emergency Operations Centre to advise Wanganui District Council of the predicted overtop

and need to evacuate at Saturday’s 5.30pm briefing.

While there is a long road to recovery ahead for some of our residents, particularly in the Wanganui and Rangitikei areas covered by this publication, I want to assure you that at Horizons we will be doing all we can to help. As a community we will work together and together we will all get through.

Bruce Gordon, Chairman Horizons Regional Council

Anzac Parade - Wanganui East

Lower Somme Parade

OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THOSE AFFECTED.

The MAD BUTCHER has been helping New Zealander’s since 1971!

Now we are Proud to Help the Wanganui Community with Support of the Mayoral Relief Fund.

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Our worst ever Flood O n Saturday, June 20, one month’s worth of rain fell on Wanganui in 24 hours.

That night and early Sunday morning the surging Whanganui River brought the worst flooding on record.

MetService recorded 138 millimetres of rain at Wanganui Airport on the Friday and Saturday, with 90mm of that falling on Saturday alone.

The average rainfall for Wanganui for the entire month of June is 94mm.

MetService had not issued a severe weather warning because there had been no indications the rain would be so heavy.

“It was unexpected — the rain was heavier and stayed around for longer than we expected,” they said.

The resultant flood saw the city cut off and about 400 people evacuated, or self-evacuated, mainly in Putiki, Aramoho and Wanganui East.

The devastation also spread across The Whanganui River breached its the Rangitikei district and through banks around midnight on Saturday, thousands of hectares of rural country. spilling floodwaters into the central business district. The river peaked at 15.7 metres at Pipiriki; by contrast, in the floods of October 2013 the river peaked at 14.4m.

All bridges over the river were closed except for the Cobham Bridge.

State highways were closed in what was a one in 85-year flood event.

Evacuation centres were opened at St Paul’s Church in Guyton Street and at Wanganui’s Girls College which was transformed in a civil defence centre.

The CBD was cordoned off and Stuart Munro a sticker system implemented on Bevan Conley affected properties. Red stickers meant entry was prohibited because Mark Brimblecombe of potential hazards or serious Devyn Staines damage; yellow stickers meant restricted access.

Special thanks to all photographers

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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We would like to extend our sympathy to all the many people whose homes have been damaged and who have been affected by the flooding.

May we also express our admiration for the emergency services, military personnel, local authorities and volunteers working tirelessly and selflessly to bring people to safety and avert further damage.

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Roads take a Hammering

Your Local Tyre Specialist Our thoughts are with our ‘Community’ Onsite Tyre Service | Earthmover | Tractor 4x4Truck | Car | ATV | Batteries Full Mechanical Workshop Wheel Alignment Finance available to approved purchasers

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Flooding Taupo Quay

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Parapara River Road

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

FLOOD RELIEF FUND AVAILABLE FOR AFFECTED CBD BUSINESSES

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

FLOOD AFFECTED WASTE COLLECTION Discounted tip rates at Gilberd Street transfer station In support of flood victims in Wanganui Budget Waste is providing discounted rates at our GilberdStreettransferstationforflooddamaged materials.

Standard charges at our Gilberd Street transfer station will be discounted by 20% for flood damaged materials only until closing on Sunday 12 July 2015.

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Out and About with Mark Brimblecombe

Prints of these photos available for sale @ the Jolt Café, 19 Victoria Avenue Or please contact

Mark Brimblecombe on 021 545 184, email: mark.brimblecombe@gmail.com

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Wanganui City College helping clean up

Our grateful thanks to those who have offered their help.

We were fortunate not to be badly affected.

Our thoughts and support go out to all who were.

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

A message has come through from our favourite Prince!

T

o Her Worship Annette Main.

‘Prince Harry has been very concerned to see the extent of the flooding which has affected the Whanganui area in recent days. His Royal Highness hopes that all those whose homes have been directly affected are safe and sends his very best wishes to them and to all the emergency workers supporting them. The Prince’s thoughts are with you all at this difficult time.’

St

Pl

Ri dg ew ay St

W at t

ct or ia Av e

Dr ew sA ve

St Hi ll

St

Ri dg ew ay St

M ar ia

Vi

Here when you need us

Vi

It has been a tough few days for many as a result of the heavy rains and flooding across the region.

It’s time for our community to come together to support those most affected. When the unexpected happens, AMI is with you every step of the way.

John Trevethick and the team are ready to help you with your insurance questions or claims.

ct or ia

Av e

In person: By phone: Online:

AMI Wanganui, 83 Victoria Avenue, Wanganui 0800 100 200 You can lodge a house, contents or car claim at ami.co.nz

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

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WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Parikino

IN THE LONG RUN IT PAYS TO GO WITH THE LOCALS Wanganui Steelformers - Wanganui’s only manufacturer supplying roofing to Wanganui people.

• Colorsteel • Zincalume • Galvanise • Longrun Flashings • Roof Installation Wanganui Steelformers 380 Heads Road. Ph (06) 344 5142 Freephone 0800 800 077

backyclan@xtra.co.nz

Suzuki New Zealand

Standing with Wanganui since 1984.

26

WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

10% OF ALL PROCEEDS ON 2ND JULY TO MAYORAL RELIEF FUND

Looking back to 1904

All A ll food iis made daily on tthe premises Beverage Beverages | Breakfast Lunch | K Kids Menu • Extensive b blackboard menu • Cabinet food • Corporate catering • Vegetarian & gluten-free options • Ample free parking

Closed Easter Friday & Sunday and Christmas Day

OPEN

7.30am – 4.00pm Monday-Friday 8.00am – 4.00pm Saturday & Sunday Situated at MITRE 10 MEGA

Ph 06

349 1033

Your Health is Our Business

WE OFFER SPECIALIST SERVICES IN: GENERAL, ORTHOPAEDIC, E.N.T., GYNAECOLOGY, ENDOSCOPIC, LAPAROSCOPIC & WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY

BELVERDALE PRIVATE SURGICAL HOSPITAL LTD 5 Campbell St. Wanganui For more information call us!

Ph 348 1182 Fax 348 1183 Email: manager@belverdale.co.nz

LOADERS LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES Open 7 days

Firewood Now In Stock

You can

relyforon us your

energy needs

Flooding at Wanganui, showing Taupo Quay, [1904] Flooding at Wanganui, showing Taupo Quay. You can see a rowing boat, waka, and a horse-drawn cart in the flooded street. Photograph taken 1904 by Louis John Daroux.

Transform your home - all your hot water, space heating and cooking needs from your trusted local Rockgas supplier.

Count on us - reliable delivery of 45kg LPG cylinders to your home, business, or farm where ever you live.

www.contactenergy.co.nz www.rockgaswanganui.co.nz

Locally owned and operated and proud to be part of your community

Call Rockgas Wanganui 0800 LPG 2 YOU or 348 8008 or visit us at 73 Putiki Drive

For All Your Emergency Requirements Mon – Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm Saturday 9.00am – 12 noon

35 Somme Parade (06) 349 0155 Daytime (06) 349 0486 A/hrs

27

WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Floods F

loods are the most common and costliest natural disasters in New Zealand.

Dunedin, Wellington, Kapiti and now Wanganui have been hit this year, with Wanganui’s the biggest flood ever recorded there. The Waitotara and Whangaehu rivers copped flooding in 2004, and to a slightly lesser extent on June 20-21 this year.

This Whanganui River flood is of the magnitude expected every 85 year on average. But the year numbers in that method of calculating flood risk are expected to halve by 2050 because of climate change - with more water loose in the atmosphere bigger floods can be expected.

On Saturday June 20, 120 houses in Anzac Pde and adjoining streets were evacuated. Since then they have been inspected, and 20 have been deemed too dangerous to go into. The residents of another 140 were only allowed back to get belongings with a civil defence escort.

Wanganui’s next biggest recorded flood was in 1940, but five out of its six biggest happened before 1905.

The highest water most people living in the city would remember before this latest flood would be in 1990 - now the eighth highest recorded.

It was pure luck that the Whanganui River only had a 10-year flood in the February 2004 storm. The Whangaehu, just 15km away, had a 200-year flood, and across the wider region hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage was done.

This time the Whanganui was higher than the Whangaehu and Waitotara.

Horizons took over responsibility for protecting the town of Wanganui from flooding from the Wanganui District Council in 2006. It investigated the hazard level and discovered it was high.

People tend to forget about that between floods. While the June 2015 flood is the largest now recorded much bigger ones are possible if heavy rain falls across the whole of the enormous Whanganui catchment.

WHANGANUI RIVER’S TOP FLOODS + 2015 4755 cumecs (cubic metres flow per second)

• 1940: 4689 cumecs (cubic metres flow per second) • 1904: 4325 cumecs • 1858: 4293 cumecs • 1875: 4293 cumecs • 1864: 4293 cumecs

IN RECENT YEARS: • 1990: 4106 cumecs the 7th highest • 1998: 3815 cumecs the 13th highest • 2000: 3804 cumecs the 14th highest

Locals Supporting Locals Wanganui’s Only Locally Owned and Operated Bottle Store • Competitively priced!

• Lots of in-store specials • Great friendly, knowledgeable staff • Fly Buys • Gift Packs • Gift Cards • Always cold products on hand

Unsure what to get someone special?

Gift Vouchers available

te a r o p Cor ts n u o c Ac ilers a r T r Chille sware Glas ble availa

Come in store and we can assist you with redeeming your points.

291-293 Victoria Ave,Wanganui | T: | F: Mon - Thur: 9am - 8pm • Fri - Sat: 9am - 10pm • Sun: 10am - 6pm

28

WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Open every day of the year, including Easter

A youth led anti-bullying campaign for our Whanganui community

Youth leading the way to create change

Nicki Rees - Te Punanga Haumaru Co-ordinator 027 626 1403 tphwhanganui@xtra.co.nz

facebook.com/tphwhanganui

STOP bullying behaviours, THINK about others, ACT as a community, RESPECTFULLY

PIPING HOT PLUMBING & DRAINAGE LTD

• Plumbing • Roofing • Gasfitting • Drainlaying

(06) 345 8034 admin@pipinghotplumbing.co.nz 43 Hatrick Street, Wanganui

Photos by Caleb Kingi

For all your helicopter requirements

Call us today to find out how we can help

Pilot: Dean Lithgow (06) 348 4777 a/h (021) 900 845

Established & Serving Wanganui & Districts Since 1945

Quality without compromise

John Fearn 06 345 7077 Kitchen, Bathroom & Office Fittings 50a Wilson Street, Wanganui gunzzini@xtra.co.nz

www.gunzzini.co.nz

innovation

precision

style

Awesome Painters Phone for your free advice and quote

Phone 06 345 2743

Ron Bakker 021 449 173 Fax 06 345 8550 Email: allan.tong@xtra.co.nz

29

WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Wanganui floods the view from the sky

EDEN ECO PRODUCTS

SUPPORTS THE

WANGANUI MAYORAL RELIEF FUND

FOR BIODEGRADABLE DISPOSABLES • PLATES • CUPS • CUTLERY • SHOPPING BAGS • PRODUCE BAGS • AND MORE

First Aid Training Courses for the month of July Polson Farm – Mangamahu’

Save a life (4 Hour) • 9th, 25th Essential First Aid (1 Day) • 9th, 25th Comprehensive First Aid (2 day) • 9/10, 25/26 Revalidation (1 Day) • 10th, 26th Ph: (06)345 3761 • 0800 733 276 www.redcross.org.nz

Flooding and slipping near Waitotara on Sunday morning PHOTO/ BEVAN CONLEY

WAT’SON BUILDING MEANS QUALITY For all your building needs no job too big, none too small

2 Pehi Street, P O BOX 4002,Wanganui 4541 Telephone: 06 343 2439 Fax: 06 343 2438 mikewatsonbuilders@xtra.co.nz

Committed to Wanganui!

06 345 3952 • 027 310 7873 Showroom: 8 Dublin St, Wanganui info@gilmorehomes.co.nz • www.gilmorehomes.co.nz

30

CHESTER BORROWS

MP for Whanganui

Best wishes to all those affected by the recent floods

Authorised by Chester Borrows MP 94 Victoria Ave, Wanganui Phone (06) 348 9150 chester.wanganui@parliament.govt.nz

Specialising in Property & Financial Management 176 Glasgow Street PO Box 4003 Wanganui 4541 Ph: 06-349 0903 Fax: 06-345 0713 www.educationservices.co.nz

JAMIE O’LEARY BUILDERS LTD

WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

The View from Space W

hile the floods that swamped Whanganui last weekend appeared devastating enough from pictures taken from helicopters, the view from space has offered another perspective altogether.

The NASA and USGS operated Landsat 8 satellite, which orbits Earth once every 98 minutes and repeats the same ground track every 16 days, snapped this image of floodwaters pouring out of Whanganui River and into the sea as it passed over New Zealand on Saturday.

A “before” image shows what the landscape looks like in summer.

Dr Murray Ford, a geomorphologist at Auckland University, checked the satellite’s latest images and spotted how it had captured the “massive discharge” of sediment from land.

The flooding - the worst on record Whanganui’s - forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes and left dozens of people stranded.

Damage assessments were this week still being carried out across the Manawatu and Taranaki regions as the clean-up continued.

New Home Building Renovation Work Light Commercial

Jamie Morton Science Reporter The New Zealand Herald

Office: 06 343 5007 Mobile: 0274 926 995 Email: jamieo@xtra.co.nz BUILDING FOR 38 YEARS

although the rain has stopped, the clean-up is ongoing. Our hearts go out to all those affected by flooding across the Region.

15.7 m

2004

11.1 m

2015

8.2 m 6.3 m

RiveR peak heights 2004 vs 2015

Rangitikei at Mangaweka

13.2 m

Turakina at O’Neill’s Bridge

7.8 m

Whangaehu at Kauangaroa

9.0 m

Whanganui at Town Bridge

13.3 m 11.7 m

10.2 m

2004 2015 Whanganui at Pipiriki

Visit www.horizons.govt.nz or contact us on toll free 0508 800 800

the widespread flooding of June 2015 was the largest event of its kind in the horizons Region since 2004. The Whanganui River reached its highest peak on record and flowed at a rate of 4,690 cubic metres per second. The recovery will be lengthy but we will be working alongside our communities in the weeks and months to come.

31

WANGANUI FLOOD JUNE 2015

Whangaehu BUY A PITA ON 1st or 2nd JULY and we will donate 10% to The Wanganui Relief Fund VALID IN WANGANUI ONLY

Say more positive things than negative hings things

Email: skipwanganui@xtra.co.nz or Phone: 345 3008 Cell: 027 626 1404 285 Wicksteed Street,Whanganui

Ear Health Offering assistance for ear problems in adults and children glue ear, runny ears and itchy ears. Removal of wax by suction A much kinder and safer method of removing wax For Adults and Children.

The only acceptable method for tinnitus sufferers

All Clinics run by experienced Registered Nurses.

06 3487980

“BUSINESS AS USUAL” *Plumbing*Gasfitting*Drainage* Ph: 06 348 0162 | 24 /7 Emergency Work

Proudly supporting the Mayoral Relief Fund.

Great design to make you look more awesome, more often, to more people.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

You choose the café, we’ll buy the coffee!

!LIQUIDEDGE.CO.NZ q345 7267

We are pleased to advise that our business was not affected by the slip and our full team are available and keen to assist. Thanks for all the calls of concern and wishes.

The team at Laser Plumbing ! Drain Clearing wishes Wanganui a safe and ! Drain Water Blasting & Camera Inspections quick recovery ! Water Pumps from the floods !

Repairs & Maintenance

www.wanganui.laserplumbing.co.nz | wanganui@laserplumbing.co.nz

Whanganui flooding

Has your household got a plan to cope when an emergency happens? ]TWMJb HJ wKwWbwJYfk fpT aPpT^G [^HJ Lp \w H\^w Lp ^pp` HhwW yourself and your household for at least three days or more.

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Your emergency survival kit • • • • • • • •

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Food and water for at least three days • • • • • •

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Getaway kit In some emergencies you may need to evacuate in a hurry. Everyone should have a packed getaway kit in an easily accessible place at home and at work which includes: • • • • • • • • • • •

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o[w[g exlxXcx cqXZVcZ [XlqbYVWqX

During emergencies, key agencies involved will keep their online resources, such as websites and Facebook pages, as current as possible. We encourage people to ‘bookmark’ these sites for [XlqbYVWqX qX Z\x r\VXkVX`[ vqqU[Xk Vi uxgg Vi l`Z`bx xwxXZin

www.wanganui.govt.nz www.facebook.com/wanganuidistrictcouncil www.facebook.com/civildefencemanawatuwanganui uuunlVcxdqqhncqYtX_kxp\b` sf]^ j \[k\uVm [XlqbYVWqX www.nzta.govt.nz or 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) Horizons Regional Council – river levels www.horizons.govt.nz/choose-river-rainfall-chart

WANGANUI DISTRICT WEATHER EVENT

Looking for a way to help out?

Donate to the Mayor’s Special Fund 03-0791-0355050-04 T?RM QOGI DRPP EMMRMC @HL@PH ENHACHI BK FLLIRGJ DRC? their most immediate needs