Southland, thank you for all you're doing as we work through this weather event together. A state of emergency remains in place until at least Friday morning.

Key information

• We know you're sharing generators, opening your dairy sheds to neighbours and making sure animals are milked and watered through these challenging conditions.
• If you need a generator or have urgent welfare needs, please contact the Welfare Line on 0800 890 127 or email [email protected] with your location and requirements. This number will be monitored between 9am-4.30pm.
• The number of requests for generators and support has slowed.
• Community hubs are open across the region for showers, power and internet access. See below.
• Please continue to check on your neighbours, friends or family, offer support, share verified information and stay safe.
• Safety continues to be a concern due to the large numbers of downed lines, broken poles and trees tangled in lines out there. Please do not try to clear debris from fallen power lines. It’s dangerous and could cause more damage. If you spot any downed lines, broken poles and trees, please call the PowerNet line on 0800 808 587.
• Please conserve water and avoid unnecessary water usage, where possible. Users may experience low water pressure, this is until the reservoirs fill up again.
• Other wastewater treatment plants are returning to normal but Otautau and Winton are still relying on generators.
• PowerNet say approximately 3,900 customers in Southland and 1,700 in Otago remain without power.
• Power restoration for the remaining customers without power is taking longer due to the complexity of the damage.

Community BBQs

• The Rural Support Trust, Emergency Management Southland, DairyNZ and a number of rural sector supporters are hosting community BBQs over the next few days.
• No need to RSVP or register - just turn up - 5.30pm to 8pm

Today (Wednesday 29 October)

• The Community BBQs are being held at Woodlands Rugby Club and at the Riverton Rugby Club.

Tomorrow (Thursday 30 October)

• The Community BBQs are being held at the Tokanui Tavern and Dipton Golf Course.

There are more Community BBQs being arranged.

Keep an eye on the Southland Rural Support Trust Facebook page for more information about these events.

• Drummond Community BBQ
• Yesterday’s Community BBQ at Drummond was a success with around 100 people showing up. People in attendance included representatives of Southland Rural Support Trust, Dairy New Zealand and ASB rural.
• Southland District Mayor-elect Rob Scott came along to talk to the local community in Drummond. The community were grateful to be able to mix and mingle and share their stories and experience with one another. For some, they were celebrating that the power had just been turned back on for them.
• Scouts from the Otautau St Andrews Scouts Club had done some baking and brought this to the BBQ to share. The Scouts have spent the last few days working with and supporting older persons in their community.

Current weather situation

• The weather continues to be cold with snow flurries in some areas and a few showers here and there. MetService are forecasting some strong westerly winds in the afternoon. Secure any loose items, bring inside or tie down anything that can be broken or picked up by strong winds.
• Please keep an eye on MetService for the latest weather updates and any watches and warnings.
• Take care on the roads and check for any closures.
• It’s cold, so make sure you are keeping warm by putting on extra layers of clothing and preserve heat by closing doors and windows and pulling curtains and blinds.

Generators

• There are 31 generators that Emergency Management Southland is continually circulating in the community to support critical infrastructure, dairy sheds, and community hubs. Most of those have come from out of the region but some have been shared locally like the one from Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
• The large generator situation is under control, and the need now is for smaller generators for water pumps and residential use. Emergency Management Southland is not supplying these, but they can be sourced from retailers such as Mitre 10 and other hardware stores/electrical supply stores.

Welfare and community hubs

Invercargill

• ILT Stadium Southland – 7.30am - 8pm, free showers, power and WiFi

Wyndham

• Wyndham Camping Ground – open all week at this stage. Showers, laundry, power and kitchen
• Wyndham pub, during pub hours, washing machine available

Gore

• MLT Event Centre/Multisport Complex – 6am - 8pm. Showers, hot drinks and power
• Gore Library, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9:30am - 6:00pm; Wednesday 9:30am - 8:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 1:00pm. Free power, wifi and toilets
• Calvin Church, 9am - 3pm Mon-Fri, charge devices, and hot drink, time out for a chat, limited wifi

Winton

• Limehills Rugby Club (in Centre Bush). Showers, cooking facilities, power, water, charging
• VetSouth Winton, open normal hours, free showers

Riverton

• Riverton Rugby Club, open all week at this stage. Showers, water, WiFi.

Tuatapere

• Tui Base Camp, open all week. Hot showers ($5).

Tokanui

• Tokanui Hotel, showers, washers, dryers, charging and bistro open.
• Tokanui Pub, during opening hours, free shower and clothes washing

Drummond

• Drummond Rugby Club, open as per their Facebook page. Power, charging and cooking facilities.

Waikaia

• Waikaia Pub, open Wednesday to Sunday 11.30 onwards. Showers, washer, charging and serving food.
• Waikaia Campground, open 24/7. Washing machines (coin operated) and dryers (coin operated), showers (coin operated), kitchen/cooking facilities, charging, water. Machines and showers are coin operated.
• Waikaka Complex, between 5pm and 8:30pm, showers & power

Orepuki

• Orepuki Fire Station, daily 6am to 8pm, showers, water & power

Edendale

• Edendale Pub, during pub hours, free showers

Curio Bay

CurioScape, open, cuppa and shower with small charge, cook and clothes washing at campground

Schools

Te Tipua School is the only school closed today due to power or water outages and is operating off site.

Keep an eye on what your schools are doing as they share information about closures throughout the week.

Thinking of burning off storm debris?

A message from Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

Please check first at checkitsalright.nz

• Make sure you meet Fire & Emergency and Council requirements.
• If you’re burning fallen branches, break it down into loosely stacked piles, burn a bit at a time, not one big heap.
• Check the wind — if it’s gusty or smoke could drift onto roads or neighbours, hold off.
• Be neighbour-wise — let them know, avoid nuisance smoke, and have water/tools ready.
• One spark can change everything — let’s keep Southland safe.