Flooding turns Greymouth backyards into muddy pools

January 11, 2018

Flooding has turned some backyards into muddy pools in Greymouth where a resident's video shows two houses on Marsden Road surrounded by floodwaters.

A resident who took the phone video told 1 NEWS that, "due to [an] open drain which council has delayed in piping, and restricted piping further along, our house and [an] elderly neighbour's house was flooded - nearly made it inside". 

Only yesterday parts of the West Coast were classified as in a drought.

Southern Fire Communications has told 1 NEWS they attended about 60 flooding incidents on the West Coast today, mainly in the Hokitika and Greymouth districts, and mostly to street flooding and property damage.

MetService says the average rainfall in Greymouth District in the past 24 hours is around 140mm, and more rain is expected tonight.

The sudden torrential downpour forced people in Greymouth and Hokitika to evacuate their homes.

Greymouth District Council said the welfare centre set up at the Westland Recreation Centre would be closed at 4pm because it has not been used so far. It would be reopened if necessary. 

Red Cross volunteers have been out in some seriously affected areas in Greymouth District today and with more rain on the way, a team from Christchurch will be deployed tonight. 

Mayor Tony Kokshoorn urges Greymouth residents to avoid travel after heavy rain causes 'huge amount of surface water'.

Seven streets and roads remained closed in the Greymouth area late this afternoon.

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