Fire and Emergency New Zealand is continuing to respond to flood-related calls in and around Dunedin, with coastal Otago remaining under a red warning for continued heavy rain today.

Assistant Commander Nic McQuillan said that between 6 pm and 7:15 am firefighters attended 34 calls, including helping Police evacuate houses near a landslide in the suburb of St Leonards.

An Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team has been mobilised from Christchurch, including a specialist drone team and a geotechnical engineer.

Nic McQuillan says ‘our USAR team will provide support at the site of the slip in St Leonards and other locations as required.’

Fire and Emergency’s Region Coordination Centre was re-activated in the early hours of this morning, and we are liaising closely with Civil Defence in Dunedin.

‘We know this has been an extreme weather night for Otago and we thank the community for their support. We ask for patience as we continue to respond to calls today.

Anyone who feels their life, safety or property is threatened should always call 111.’

Fire and Emergency have crews ready to respond immediately, and extra resources available if we need them, including firefighters trained and equipped for swift water rescue.

Residents are encouraged to self-evacuate to higher ground if they notice rising water or feel unsafe in their homes.

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