Recovery is well underway from the significant rain event that overwhelmed the storm water network around Totara Crescent in the Taumarunui suburb of Matapuna and causing flooding.
Ruapehu Civil Defence remained on-call overnight while Council contractor Veoila maintained pumps shifting water away from Totara Crescent and the surrounding area.
A welfare centre set-up at the Memorial Hall as a precaution was not ultimately needed, however, one resident from Totara Crescent was put up in emergency accommodation overnight with her two cats.
With the help of larger pumps brought in from Hamilton yesterday the flood waters have dropped significantly although a few houses at one end of Totara Crescent were still cut-off this morning.
Mayor Don Cameron said that he wanted to thank Council staff, contractors and emergency responders for their massive effort in responding to this major rain event and supporting affected residents.
"The flood waters came up very quickly and it was quite literally 'all hands to the pump' in the response," he said.
"Some of the Civil Defence and contractor staff had very little sleep overnight but they were all back on the ground first thing this morning.
We also understand that it is a very difficult time for people whose properties were impacted by the flooding.
While fortunately no houses were inundated, some sections and storage sheds have been underwater causing damage and a big clean-up.
Civil Defence will continue to support affected people as long as is needed," he said.
Chief Executive Clive Manley said he was aware that some residents feel Council should have done more earlier to address the flooding risk in the area.
“Council has funded a major technical analysis of the issue and what can be done about it,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this is not an easy fix which is complicated by a number of factors including the large rural catchment above town and the design of the drainage from that.
Controlling the flow of water off the surrounding hills to the north was critical to getting the water levels down.
Staff found that baffles that were meant to be in the culverts under SH4 and the railway to slow the flow of water had been removed and emergency ones needed to be reinstated.
Council will be undertaking a full review of the event, the contributing factors, and what works we can undertake or bring forward to help prevent this happening again.
Climate change means we will see more of these intense weather events and mitigating for them is a significant challenge and cost for communities across NZ," he said.
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