Areas of the central North Island seriously damaged by flooding have received almost $1 million in further government relief.
Flooding in Whanganui, June 2015 Photo: Adam Sinclair
The Ministry of Civil Defence has paid the Whanganui-Manawatu Regional Council $920,000 for repairs to damage caused in the June 2015 floods.
River management group manager Ramon Strong said it was a welcome Christmas present for ratepayers in the Whanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu and Tararua districts.
"We've certainly been mindful of the impacts of the Kaikōura earthquake, so we weren't necessarily hopeful that we'd receive a payment this side of Christmas."
The council received $480,000 in July and said government payments would eventually total about $2m - about half the cost of the actual repairs.