Mayor of Dunedin Jules Radich is thanking the public, as well as DCC staff and contractors, for their response to this morning’s wild weather.

“We’re extremely fortunate in this city to have a dedicated team ready to respond when nature threatens.

“In particular, I want to thank those who have worked long hours – both yesterday and through the night – to make sure our city’s infrastructure was ready, sandbags were available and people had a welfare centre to go to if needed.

“Thanks also to all our residents who helped out where they could – whether it was clearing debris from mud tanks, volunteering to deliver blankets or sandbags, rescuing wheelie bins from the wind, or just staying off the roads where possible.

“It’s great to see everyone working together in times like this.”

Civil Defence Controller Robert West said DCC staff, contractors and emergency services were busy responding to a steady stream of calls overnight and this morning, mostly relating to trees down and power outages.

The wild weather arrived later than expected, about 5am, and the forecast for more significant rain did not eventuate, but the city needed to be ready to cope with the worst, Mr West says.

“We’ve worked hard in recent years to improve our response to these sorts of weather events, as well as the performance of our infrastructure, and it’s pleasing to see the network cope well.”

While the weather is expected to ease this afternoon, the combination of wind, rain and a spring high tide due at 4.13pm means drivers should continue to exercise caution on low-lying coastal roads, including Aramoana Road.

There was steady demand for sandbags at pick-up locations in South Dunedin and Mosgiel, which are now closing. People who collected sandbags are welcome to use the sand on their gardens or however they see fit, as the sand has not been contaminated, Mr West says.

DCC staff and contractors will continue to monitor the situation, and anyone with weather-related issues can contact the DCC Customer Services Agency on (03) 477 4000.

© Scoop Media