Two residents who defied evacuation orders in Timaru's Pleasant Point-Temuka ward last night say they now agree with the decision after seeing the erosion of a nearby floodbank.
Flooding sign. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
A state of emergency was declared across Timaru's Pleasant Point-Temuka ward last night, when two people attempted to return to their homes at the Opihi River raged.
About 10 people evacuated their Mill Road homes because of the risk of a floodbank failing.
Timaru Civil Defence controller Paul Cooper said all residents left voluntarily initially, but two changed their minds during the night.
Declaring a state of emergency across the entire ward of 10,000 people was the only way to forcibly evacuate them, he said.
"We have serious concerns for life and property and that's what the modelling has told us, and that's the information that's informed the decision to evacuate these people for the time being," he said.
"We were really pleased with the co-operation of the vast majority of residents. They took the advice well. They were able to move their pets, take them with them, and move their horses and livestock. Do what they needed in that voluntary period we allowed them.
"All of the residents left. While the night progressed two of the residents have had a change of heart and have then gone back through the cordon and said 'Look, we're quite comfortable with the risk, we're going home and that's that'. That's what's driven the response because we have to take care of everybody."
The two people were "shocked" after seeing the state of the river today and now agreed with the decision to evacuate.
A damaged stopbank on the Opihi River through Pleasant Point was deemed a flooding risk. Photo: Supplied / Timaru District Council
The raging river eroded two metres of the stopbank yesterday and more overnight.
The Opihi River was now subsiding, as many were around the lower South Island, but the risk of it breaching the stopbank remained.
The risk was very localised, Cooper said.
It was hoped they would be able to repair the bank in the coming days, though those evacuated would be out of their homes for up to five days, he said.