Water covers airport
PA Invercargill Invercargill’s airport terminal was flooded for the second time in three years yesterday, after one of the stopbanks round the airport precincts collapsed. Up to 45cm of water were reported to be in the terminal building at 2 p.m., but the level had stabilised to about 30cm last night. Most of the runways were covered in water. Everything that Civil Defence authorities had prayed would not happen at the airport, did, about 10.30 a.m. yesterday. A stopbank by the airport water pump and windsock collapsed at the base, and water flooded in. Pumping at the rate of 30,000 gallons a minute had been taking place since Thursday night and was stepped up with more pumps yesterday. The Southland Catchment Board had created a breach in the Waihopai River stopbank at the eastern end of the airport. There were two pumps there and these would provide the most effective way of getting rid of water from the airport. However, it would be a slow process, with the level falling about 10cm a day. Flights to Invercargill have been suspended until Tuesday.
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Press, 14 March 1987, Page 8
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185Water covers airport Press, 14 March 1987, Page 8
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