Ashburton Guardian, Monday, December 9, 2019

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Monday, Dec 9, 2019

Since Sept 27, 1879

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Flooding from the Rangitata River has cut off travel between Mid and South Canterbury.

PHOTO SAM ANDERSON

Flooding cuts off south By Jaime Pitt-MacKay Jaime.p@theguardian.conz

The South Island has effectively been cut in half by a once-in-20-year flood that has made both bridges across the Rangitata River impassable. A total of 350mm of rain was recorded overnight Friday and through Saturday in the upper catchment of the river, having devastating consequences, causing several break-outs which flooded farms and the south branch of the river. Roads around the bridges over the river

at State Highway 1 and at Arundel were damaged, closing roads. Yesterday the Timaru District Council said they expected the bridges to remain closed for at least 36 hours as the roads were repaired, and that the crossing at Arundel would be the main focus of the initial repairs. Timaru Emergency Operations Centre Controller Justin Bagust said the district roading contractors were assembling heavy machinery at the southern approach to the road to be ready as soon as the water

levels subsided. “We’re aware of the importance of the north south link and by prioritising this route we can hopefully have a passable solution for people as soon as possible,” he said. The closures left many people stuck on either side of bridges desperate to return home. For builder Johan Peterson, who lives in Dunedin, a simple trip to Christchurch to pick up some items had turned in to a multi-night stay in the Ashburton District.

He had been parked up at the Ealing carpark on State Highway 1 since 2pm on Saturday and had camped in Hinds overnight Saturday. Peterson said he was disappointed that while a state of emergency had been declared in Timaru and information centres had been opened in Temuka and Geraldine, there was nothing available in the Ashburton District.

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