Makino floodgates operated this morning

Horizons Regional Council duty officers activated a closure of the Makino Floodgates in Feilding at 5.00am this morning following the impacts of both catchment flows and localised stormwater runoff from the town.

Horizons emergency management controller Craig Grant says there is another band of rain to come through before sunrise and we expect some local rain relief for a while.
 
“We are working with Manawatu District Council to manage the situation,” says Mr Grant.
 
“Our minds also now shift to the Whanganui, Manawatū and Turakina catchments. We continue to monitor MetService’s forecast and model river levels accordingly.
 
“We hope to have a clearer picture by 8am when our Emergency Operations Centre staff will meet.
 
“We strongly encourage people to consider any travel arrangements they may have planned this morning as there is a lot of surface flooding and potential land slips in places. Please take care out there.”
 
Up-to-date information on river heights and rainfall is available via Horizons 24 hour toll-free Waterline 0508 4 FLOOD.

Updates will also be posted to the Manawatū-Whanganui Civil Defence page and for weather forecasting information please see Metservice.