Fernside residents between Oxford Road/Mount Thomas Road and the Ashley River – from Mertons Road up until the junction of the Okuku and Ashley Rivers who had previously evacuated are now able to return to their homes. Please drive with care as there may be some surface flooding in areas.

Residents of the low-lying areas of The Pines Beach, particularly around Dunns Ave were advised to evacuate earlier this morning. A flood gate is stuck open and areas of The Pines Beach may be flooded.

Residents on the higher sections of The Pines Beach can stay if they wish, but may be isolated for some time if Beach Road floods.

Emergency services assisted with the evacuations.  

The Civil Defence Centre at Rangiora Baptist Church is open for people who need somewhere to stay.

Waimakariri Civil Defence is urging residents to take extreme care on the roads this afternoon and to keep up to date with flooding information throughout the day.  While the rain may be lighter, river levels remain dangerously elevated and it will take some time until the risk is gone.

If people do need to drive, they should take it slow and leave plenty of following distance between vehicles. People should avoid driving through flooded areas and in the immediate vicinity of rivers.

Residents should continue to keep their mobile phones switched on and close to hand. If further evacuations are required, an Emergency Mobile Alert will be sent to the affected areas and emergency services will be deployed.

The online evacuation maps show the areas that have already been evacuated, those at risk and those where it is safe for residents to return home.

The river risk led to two areas being evacuated late last night and early this morning by emergency services. Fire and Emergency NZ crews evacuated approximately 113 properties in the Oxford and Mount Thomas Road area near the Ashley River.  These residents may now return home.

A further 133 properties were evacuated in the Eyre River area were evacuated by Fire and Emergency NZ and NZ Police overnight, however with river levels dropping, residents in this area have been advised that they can return to their homes.

Civil Defence opened Welfare Centres in Rangiora and Mandeville, however most people who evacuated opted to stay with friends and family.  At the Rangiora Baptist Church – 13 people stayed inside overnight with a few more staying in campervans staying in the carpark.

At the Mandeville Sports Centre, 15 people stayed inside overnight, with another 11 people choosing to sleep in their cars in carpark. Breakfast has been arranged for those who stayed overnight and Mayor Dan Gordon is planning to visit two welfare centres this morning.