Damage and disruption as a result of Tuesday's wild weather left some Canterbury residents with a strong sense of deja vu.
Most roads around the wider Christchurch area closed due to flooding have reopened today. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Heavy rain lashed the region as severe weather bore down on much of the country.
A butcher who encountered constant flooding problems at one of his Christchurch stores has called for more support.
Peter Timbs Meats in Edgeware was forced to close due to flooding during the downpour on 12 July. Water started flowing through the store's front door just after midday.
Owner David Timbs said there needed to be drainage improvements in the street to help divert excess water from low-lying areas.
"There are ways of doing it, I have been told by the professionals," he said,
"I just need a wee bit of help from the Christchurch City Council that's willing to help point it in the right direction and maybe put some resources and finance behind it.
"It's not just our store but it does affect other parts of the community as well."
He said about 15cm of water was streaming through the shop before members of the community arrived to help pump the water out.
Flooding had been a constant problem at the Edgeware store since the Canterbury earthquakes.
The council said the butcher shop was located at the lowest point in the catchment.
Council head of three waters' Helen Beaumont said it was an older commercial building and the floor level was below what was recommended.
She said council was considering the feasibility of building a new full height kerb and channel along the south side of Edgeware Road, with a report due this month.
Meanwhile, Banks Peninsula residents in Goughs Bay, still recovering from a storm last year, said they were feeling drained after the heavy rain caused fresh damage, including slips and cracks to a portion of road only recently patched up.
Repairs to Goughs Road remain ongoing, following a rain event in December 2021, which caused widespread damage.
Goughs Bay resident Marie Haley said she was over it.
"There's a lot of water down on the flats, a lot of damage to fencing, there's little slips again," she said.
"It's quite disheartening after all the work we've been putting in to fix it after seven months since the last one [weather event]."
Cattle stuck on the road after storm damage in Goughs Bay, in December 2021. Photo: Marie Haley
Emergency managers in Canterbury said the brunt of damage from yesterday's storm occurred in areas affected in past weather events.
Christchurch City Council civil defence and emergency manager Brenden Winder said the areas which copped the most damage were unsurprising.
"There were some small areas which did sustain moderate levels of damage, mostly in Banks Peninsula in areas where we have seen damage before," he said.
"While we are never happy to see it happen we are pretty aware of where we expected it to happen."
Most roads around the wider Christchurch area closed due to flooding had reopened today, he said.
