12 Jun 2015

Dunedin homes still damp after flooding

8:34 pm on 12 June 2015

Hundreds of Dunedin residents have been living in damp homes since last week's flooding, with some coping with wet carpets and damp beds and furniture.

Flooding in Dunedin's Surrey Street in early June.

Photo: RNZ / Ian Telfer

The Dunedin City Council said that 1250 properties were affected by the floods, which began on 2 June, and 280 of them were seriously damaged.

Another 973 properties were affected to varying degrees, ranging from garage and garden flooding through to significant damage.

Council recovery manager Simon Pickford said because of the health risks associated with wet carpets and damp beds and furniture, the council had been working with affected residents to find them alternative places to stay.

"[Of] those 280 cases that are most in need, the majority of them have managed to find alternative accommodation without the council neccassrily being in the middle of that," he said.

"There have been perhaps a dozen or so that we have worked with to find them alternative accomodation.

"The main thing is to get those houses assessed to see what will make them habitable again and make them safe."

Donations to the flood appeal are being accepted at all Dunedin Westpac branches and a street appeal will be held next Friday.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs