Wednesday, Dec 11, 2019
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
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A LONG ROAD AHEAD Flood water runs across the main highway at Rangitata near the Chequered Flag restaurant.
Council active in flood response By Susan Sandys
susan.s@theguardian.co.nz
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The Ashburton District Council is encouraging Mid Canterbury accommodation providers to contact its Civil Defence Welfare Unit during an emergency event. Chief executive Hamish Riach was responding to the suggestion of Methven Resort owner-operator Ole Wallis, that there needed to be a point of contact for where to redirect guests when they had to turn them away due to being booked out. Riach agreed there needed to be a
co-ordinated approach, but said this was in fact in operation at the weekend, via the council’s emergency management activities it had undertaken. When the Rangitata flooded, cutting off road access south, the council’s emergency management team had quickly evaluated the need to open its Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). This operated on Saturday and Sunday, for the purpose of providing logistical support and communication to the community and all relevant stakeholders.
And one of its main functions had been welfare support. “While the council understands that the public, and specifically displaced travellers, do actively seek out their own accommodation options as required, there is an opportunity to make information available to those affected,” Riach said.
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