Flooding fears ease

Press, 6 October 1988, Page 3

Flooding fears ease

By

PAT TAYLOR

in Greymouth Greymouth residents were able to relax yesterday as flood levels in the area dropped.

A flood alert issued by the Greymouth Borough Council had forced many out of bed in the early hours. Council works staff, volunteers and the police went to low-lying areas of the town and aroused residents from their beds, advising them to move or to switch on their radios. Many of them had returned only a few days ago to their homes after last month’s flood. By mid-afternoon yesterday the Grey River peaked more than a metre below the level of the wharf. Surface flooding was caused in lowlying areas of Greymouth when the water backed up through stormwater channels. A saturated catchment area in the upper regions of the Grey Valley is believed to be the cause of the flooding. The West Coast has experienced few fine days since last month’s flood and the

run-off of water from sodden country has increased rapidly. More rain is forecast for the rest of the week. The Westland Catchment Board monitored flood levels on Tuesday night, noting at one stage that the Big Grey and Ahaura rivers — main tributaries of the Grey — were rising dramatically. The borough works manager, Mr Kevin Brown, said yesterday that jet boats had been on hand to move people, but were not needed. Business people had been telephone at their homes and warned of the flood danger, and many worked through the night again lifting stock. Some businesses did not reopen again yesterday, staff preferring to go home to sleep after the threat was averted. The West Coast flood relief fund, started after last month’s flood, has now reached $163,000.