HEADS ABOVE WATER AGAIN

Press, 5 July 1977, Page 1

HEADS ABOVE WATER AGAIN

Huge clean-up as rain, rivers recede

Much hard work and community spirit kept Christchurch above water yesterday, with most services working and the wheels of industry rolling in spite of three days of rain and gales.

Workers somehow found a way of getting to work, postmen cycled through flood water to deliver mail, the elderly and sick were cared for by home aides, nurses sometimes waded knee-deep through water, and workmen did their best to maintain power and telephone links. The rain had nearly stopped by last evening and the weather office predicted better weather. The Civil Defence headquarters closed at 9 p.m. when the Heathcote River failed to reach its Sundaynight flood level. Flooding along the river was the worst in recorded history but residents evacuated at its worst were returning to their homes and starting to clean up. The police emergency

operation was also scaled down. Police personnel recalled to duty were sent home along with liaison officers from Civil Defence, the Christchurch City Council, the Drainage Board, the Ministry of Transport, and other organisations. About 20 Army personnel remained on standby throughout the night. They were expected to return to Burnham Military Camp this morning. There was only one new flooding problem last evening — Lake Forsyth rose after its mouth became blocked about 5 p.m. and the main Akaroa highway was closed for several hours. It was expected to be reopened today. A major slip also closed the road between Tedding-

ton and Governor’s Bay to all but four-wheel-drive vehicles but it was reopened by midnight.

The Fire Service last evening finished a 22-hour pumping job at Sunnyside Hospital. One engine was occupied throughout yesterday pumping more than 20,000 litres of rainwater from the basement and boiler room below the hospital’s Kennedy Villa. The water caused no serious damage. There were fewer insurance claims on stormdamaged property than expected.

The State Insurance Office had received 450 claims by early afternoon but this number was lower than expected, a spokesman said.

The assistant manager of

the South British Insurance Company, Ltd (Mr G. L. Jennison) said that claims had not been extensive. “I don’t think there’s been the damage or we would have heard,” he said. Most claims relate to damaged roofing, wallpaper, windows, and flooring. One or two companies did not share the view that damage would prove to be light.

“We only had 36 claims today,” said the manager of the household-claims section of the S.I.M.U. Mutual Insurance Association. “But we are expecting more later in the week. There is still a lot of cleaning up to be done and some people are still waiting to get back into their homes.’ 1