More Christchurch roads have been closed because of flooding. They are the Port Levy-Purau Road, Palatine Terrace, Torlesse Street, Portsmouth and Hampshire (from Lyndhurst) streets. The Causeway, McCormicks Bay, is marginal. The Sumner Library has closed, too.

Rain eases

A Christchurch City Council engineer says most of the rainfall has been in the south-east part of Christchurch. It appeared to be about a once-in-40-year event. The flooded areas would continue to be a problem but the water rise was now slowing. A lot of water was still coming out the hill valleys but most of the flooding in the lower Avon was mostly caused by blockages rather excess water. The Heathcote River had received an extra 400-500mm of water and had flooded some low-lying areas. A careful watch is being kept on high tide about 5pm as it could cause more problems. The Water Services Manager, Allan Watson, said the threat posed by the high tide meant the city was not yet necessarily through the worse of the flooding.

NB: The police and Civil Defence will issue details of the setting up of a welfare centre at Cashmere High School and their presence in Eastern Tce for possible evacuation.

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