Highest tide ever recorded - CCC flooding update

Media Team from Christchurch City Council

Response teams have headed out to Opawa and Southshore to check on residents and let them know that a welfare centre has opened at Linwood College if they need somewhere to go tonight.

Contractors have arrived at Southshore with the fill to close up low points where water has got through.

Information in from NIWA shows this afternoon's tide was the highest ever recorded at Bridge St. At this stage, we believe the record-breaking level was due to a low pressure weather system coming on top of a spring tide, and heavy rainfall. Although the spring tide and rainfall were expected, the unusually low pressure wasn't forecast. This accounted for 0.4M of the tidal height. Preliminary assessment is that this extreme tide level may be equivalent to a 1/200 year event (a probability of occurring once in every 200 years).

We are keeping a close eye on the high tide due around 3am tomorrow. At this stage we don't expect this to be as high as this afternoon's high tide, but we will post an update at 9pm tonight.

We are due for more rain tomorrow. Contractors will be out over the weekend checking grates and drains so the stormwater network can work effectively.