TV1 6pm News

Wednesday, 17 November 1999, 7:39 pm
Press Release: Alastair Thompson

1. EXTENDED FLOOD COVERAGE - Queenstown usually sits on the edge of a lake, but today it is in the lake. Three days of torrential rain has caused flooding there, Wanaka, Alexandra and other parts of Otago and Southland.

In Queenstown jet boats are on the street and other houses have been damaged in higher areas by torrents of mud and flood coming down off the hills. Roads have been cut off.

Lake Wanaka is filled to bursting point and there is water throughout the business area of Wanaka town, roads are also closed.

Alexandra has a state of civil emergency, 200 houses have been evacuated. Flooding is expected to peak in the early hours of tomorrow morning. More people are being warned to be ready to leave their homes.

Southland has had heavy rain as well with the Winton area submerged. There has also been snow in parts of Southland leaving two climbers trapped. One is in an ice cave and it is feared he has severe hypothermia.

Police are warning people to stay indoors with many roads closed.

Weatherman says while the rain is easing the lakes are still rising. Storm lying over the area for three days is now moving away. 200mm of rain fell in Queenstown in three days 650mm in Milford Sound.

The Clyde dam has had to spill water to relieve pressure creating spectacular scenes.

However in Lake Taupo in the North Island there hasn't been enough rain and many facilities will be unusable unless some rain fall soon.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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