Residents sick of being hemmed in by flooding after weekend rain pummels Canterbury
By reporters Cate Broughton and Amber Allott:
------------------
Residents of an east Christchurch street are sick of getting hemmed in by floodwater every time it rains, after the latest deluge left small car owners stranded once again.
Canterbury was battered with heavy rain on Saturday and early Sunday, causing surface flooding and road closures, part of a weather system driven by the remnants of ex-cyclone Dovi.
Sam McDonnell, who lives on Newport St in Christchurch's Avondale, woke up on Sunday to a road that had disappeared under floodwaters.
At 7am, the water was about 40 centimetres deep at the end of his driveway, McDonnell said.
He had owned his property since November and the street had flooded six times since then, but other residents said it had been a problem since the Canterbury earthquakes more than a decade ago, he said.
Rubberneckers often drove through the flooding, which pushed water onto properties, he said.
Locals wanted the council to look at storm water infrastructure for the area, to find a permanent solution, McDonnell said.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
52.6% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.8% Critical thinking
-
29.9% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.7% Other - I will share below!
Loading…
