Scott MacLean: Dunedin Civil Defence Manager on the State of Emergency in the region

Flooding and landslips are keeping officials busy in Otago.  

The area is in a State of Emergency due to heavy rain, with downpours expected to continue into the afternoon. 

Fire and Emergency NZ have responded to 31 calls between 6pm last night and 5.30am, with around 70 people evacuating to welfare centres. 

Dunedin Civil Defence Manager Scott MacLean told Ryan Bridge their advice is for people to stay home and stay safe. 

He said that people should avoid going out driving unless they absolutely have to, as it causes problems for emergency responders. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The state of emergency has been declared and toned and
overnight this following the surface flooding because of torrential rain.
Scott McLean is Toned and Civil Defense Controller Scott, Welcome
to the program. How many people have you got evacuated?
How many in the evacuation centers?

Speaker 2 (00:14):
So we've got around about seventy people so far have
taken up the offer of our welfare centers. So they
are located at the Saint Clear Golf Club and Forsyth
Bath Stadium.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
Are their houses flooded or are they just precautionary?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Most of them with precautionary. We've had reports of one
or two starting to get water in their houses, but
I think it was out of caution that they've relocated.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Any reports of damage or injuries at this point.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
No reports thus far as injury and we haven't been
able to get out in assess any damage at this point.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
What about power.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
As far as where weird power is still on?

Speaker 1 (00:56):
Is the worst over yet? Has the rain stopped or
I mean obviously the rain's going to keep going, but
has the river level peaked?

Speaker 2 (01:04):
So we understand the river levels have receded a bit,
but it's still raining fairly steadily met service updated us
around about nine o'clock last night and forecast up to
one hundred miles for the following twenty four hours to
nine o'clock tonight, So yeah, it's still a wee bit

(01:25):
to go.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
Scott, what's your advice to people this morning? Do they
go to work, do they go to school?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Look, our advice is don't go out driving in particular
unless you absolutely have to. It causes problems for our
emergency responders. It can cause problems for homeowners in the
low lying areas, pushing water off the roads and into

(01:52):
people's property. So the advices is to stay home and
stay safe.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
So that's today. The advice from Civil Defense is if
you are in anywhere in Dunedin, stay home today.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Look, it's probably safer to do so. If you don't
have to travel, the advice would be to not travel.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Scott, thank you for that, appreciate your time and best
of luck.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on iHeartRadio