Waitaki State of Emergency remains to monitor weather developments

Published on 07 July 2026

Waitaki State of Emergency remains to monitor weather developments

Update 9am Tuesday 7 July

The Waitaki Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to operate this morning with an overnight assessment confirming conditions have stabilised and the immediate threat to public safety has reduced.

The Local State of Emergency for the Waitaki District declaration will remain in place until at least Wednesday, as there in another weather event expected which might exacerbate the already wet conditions – the EOC and staff will be ready to escalate if needed.

Clean-up work is now underway and the public are urged to remain cautious, as a number of roads remain affected and clean-up efforts continue across the district. There are still some stranded vehicles which will need to be recovered. State Highway 1 is still closed between closed between Seven Mile Road and State Highway 83  but traffic and freight are moving through detours. 

Residents are encouraged to keep an eye on the weather and continue preparing their properties for future weather events. If you already have sandbags, please hold onto them in case they're needed again. If you still need sandbags, some remain available from the Eden Street car park. Council will monitor supplies throughout the week and arrange additional stock if required.

Waitaki District Mayor Melanie Tavendale said acknowledged the progress made by emergency services and response agencies over the past 24 hours.

"The declaration is serving its purpose by enabling a coordinated emergency response to keep our community safe during a rapidly developing situation. This doesn't mean the work is over. Our focus now shifts to monitoring any weather developments, supporting our community through recovery and restoring services as quickly and safely as possible."

The Emergency Operations Centre monitored the response throughout the night, keeping in touch with Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Police, St John, Otago Civil Defence Emergency Management, contractors, utility providers and Council teams.

Overnight, responding staff were getting some much needed rest after pulling long shifts while:

• Emergency response crews continued monitoring weather and flood conditions.
• Roading, water and wastewater teams remained on standby to respond to any after-hours incidents.
• Local contractors monitored critical infrastructure, including wastewater pump stations and water supply assets.
• Council's after-hours services continued to be available to respond to urgent issues.

With weather conditions improving and floodwaters receding, response activities are now transitioning into clean-up and recovery.

Today's priority work includes:

• Assessing and reopening roads where it is safe to do so.
• Inspecting infrastructure and public facilities.
• Continuing welfare checks where required.
• Removing debris and cleaning affected areas.
• Assessing damage to Council assets.
• Restoring services where necessary.
• Planning for impacts of potential further extreme weather.

Please continue reporting issues such as flooding damage, blocked drains, fallen trees and damaged roads through the Antenno app or by calling Waitaki District Council on 03 433 0300.

Anyone who experiences a wastewater overflow on their property or in public areas should report it to the Council immediately. Reported overflows will also be notified to the Otago Regional Council pollution hotline where required.

Care should be taken around contact with floodwaters. Floodwaters can be contaminated with bugs that cause disease from ground surface septic tanks and sewerage systems.

Although conditions have improved, people are reminded to continue driving to the conditions and to respect all road closures and warning signs. Several roads remain closed or restricted while inspections and repairs continue.

Mayor Tavendale thanked everyone involved in the emergency response.

"I'd like to thank our emergency services, Civil Defence volunteers, Council staff, contractors, utility providers and community organisations who have worked tirelessly throughout the response. Most importantly, I'd like to thank our residents for their patience, resilience and willingness to look out for one another during what was a challenging and unpredictable event."

Residents whose homes or properties have been damaged should contact their insurance provider as soon as it is safe to do so.

Waitaki District Council will continue providing updates on service impacts and recovery activities through its website, social media channels as information becomes available.

Media enquiries:
Public Information Management
027 213 0987 

Image: Waitaki Brigade members pumping out at Bernardo’s Oamaru