Southland's state of emergency will expire on Friday morning, more than two weeks after destructive winds swept through the region.Emergency Management Southland said it would transition to recovery while making sure to support those who needed it.Current Invercargill City Council group manager Rex Capil has been appointed as the Recovery Manager.Alternate Controller Jonathan Shaw said the transition to recovery would not mean any reduction in support for impacted people as they know some people still don't have power."We know some are still without power. The focus will remain on providing essential supplies and services to communities and support to individuals," he said."The recovery process is about supporting people to rebuild their lives and restore their emotional, social, economic and physical wellbeing. It is more than simply building back infrastructure."Storm damaged trees storm on East Road, Invercargill, are being felled and cut up. Photo: RNZ / Calvin Samuel.He thanked everyone involved in supporting the emergency response, saying it has been a challenging event that had caused major impacts.Further north, the Clutha District Council hoped power outages might drop to single digits.It reminded people that the district was on boil water notices apart from Balclutha, Kaitangata, Wangaloa, Milton and Waihola.A mayoral relief fund was open to affected people, families, rural communities, community organisations and small businesses that had been hit hard financially due to last month's storm.Published by Permission

Southland’s state of emergency will expire at 9.30am on Friday 7 November.Emergency Management Southland will move out of the immediate response phase and transition to recovery, while ensuring ongoing support to those who need it following the impacts from the severe weather the region experienced in October 2025.Under section 29 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act (CDEM Act) the appointment of a Recovery Manager is required to lead and co-ordinate recovery activities across affected communities.Rex Capil was appointed as the Recovery Manager by the Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee at an emergency meeting this morning. Russell Pearson is the Alternate Recovery Manager.Mr Capil is the group manager – community spaces and places for Invercargill City Council.Emergency Management Southland Alternate Controller Jonathan Shaw said the transition to recovery would not mean any reduction in support for impacted people.“We know some are still without power. The focus will remain on providing essential supplies and services to communities and support to individuals.“The recovery process is about supporting people to rebuild their lives and restore their emotional, social, economic and physical wellbeing. It is more than simply building back infrastructure.”Mr Shaw thanked all the agencies, community groups and volunteers who had supported the response.“This has been a challenging event, and we have seen major impacts across our region. While we are moving from a state of emergency, this recovery period means that support continues to be available to those affected,” he said.“A big thank you to everyone involved, including those in our community who have supported and continue to support their friends, family and neighbours.“Our supporting agencies have once again stepped up, and responded to help our communities in need, and we want to extend our thanks to those who have provided support from outside of our region.”

A cycle trail connecting two Fiordland towns is one step closer to completion.Fiordland Trails Trust has gained consent to construct a new 5.4km section of its Lake2Lake Trail, solving an issue where users had to cycle on State Highway 95 between Balloon Loop and Supply Bay Rd.Trust chair David Boniface said his group was uncomfortable with that arrangement, and settled on a compromise for the new section of track after a preferred route through the national park faced challenges.“Our trail numbers have grown so incredibly in the last five years, particularly since Covid, that we just needed to press on, so we have.”Once complete, the Te Anau to Manapouri route will feature around 30km of uninterrupted off-road cycling.But the required work also comes with a big bill, and the trust is now gearing up to raise funds to the tune of $600,000 for the new section.Boniface said the figure was a large hurdle because the trust wasn’t able to borrow money, but a team was “beavering away” with a goal of starting construction in 2026/27.The trust was “very thrilled” to gain a non-notifiable consent, he said — something it achieved through the support of affected parties such as DOC, Fish & Game and Te Ao Mārama.And once the connecting piece was complete, attention would turn to extending the trail further north with hopes of one day reaching Te Anau Downs.By that point, the whole network would extend to around 55km in length.Boniface said the trust was made up of 10 volunteers who had completed their work with limited funding.“But we just press on and build what we can afford.”LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Two signal technicians conducting unplanned maintenance on a railway level crossing south of Mataura on 12th January (2025) narrowly avoided a serious incident when a train passed through the site at 77km/h instead of the expected 10km/h, according to a recent Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) report.The technicians, working on the crossing’s power system, had requested a 10km/h temporary speed restriction (TSR) via cellphone rather than the standard open radio channel.This meant only Train Control was aware of the request.The plan was to inform the train driver once the train passed Mataura station limits, but the driver did not make the expected call.As the train approached the crossing, the driver saw the workers and sounded the horn but was unable to slow in time.No injuries or damage were reported.TIAC found three key factors contributed to the near miss: the unplanned nature of the work, the use of a cellphone instead of open radio communication, and a delay in relaying the TSR to the driver.KiwiRail has since reminded staff to follow established safety protocols and to use open communication channels for critical information.However, TAIC reiterated that relying solely on procedural safeguards is insufficient and has called for stronger engineering controls to mitigate human error.The incident echoes a similar near miss on Wellington’s Johnsonville Line, where track workers narrowly avoided being struck by a train after a miscommunication over cellphone with Train Control.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Student Organising Committee for their outstanding effort and leadership in planning and running this year’s Pet Day.Their attention to detail, creativity, and teamwork ensured the day ran smoothly and was enjoyed by all, even with the challenges of a rainy Southland day!Fun had by all on Pets day. Photo: Supplied.Pet Day remains a special tradition at Hedgehope School – a time for our students, families, and community to come together to celebrate animals, learning, connection, and even hobby horse riding.Outstanding effort in this years pet day. Photo: Supplied.It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm of our tamariki as they proudly shared their pets and projects, and the warm support from our wider school whānauPet sheep and proud owner. Photo: Supplied.Nature Art WinnersCongratulations to the Environment Southland Nature Art Competition winners!This competition encouraged people of all ages to create art using only natural, fallen materials—like leaves, twigs, seedpods, or soil.Creating art out of natural fallen materials. Photo: Supplied.It’s a chance to celebrate the beauty of nature without taking from it. Charlie, Millie, and Zealan won with their Cammo Cabin, as well as Anna with her Tui Observing Nature Piece.Students won a copy of the Observologist Book per group.Observologist Book won by the students. Photo: Supplied.Year 8 Leavers HoodiesOur Hedgehope School hoodies are a special tradition and a proud part of our identity.This year’s design is something unique — created right here by our Year 8 team using Canva.Winton & Districts Funerals proud sponsors of Hedgehope SchoolThe hoodies celebrate our school spirit and sense of belonging.Cayden was absent for the photo. Year 8 Leavers Hoodies tradition. Photo: Supplied.

Hot on the heels of the Melbourne Cup - and In a first for Winton, over $1500 in prizes are up for grabs at a Fashion in the Field event, at the Winton Harness Racing Club’s meeting this Sunday.Part of the International World Driving Championships, Sunday’s meeting is attracting interest both locally and from around the South Island.Fashion in the Field co-coordinator Fiona Stevens said they decided to hold the fashion competition to add another dimension to the day.“It’s going to be a big day for harness racing in Central Southland and we wanted to add some glitz and glamour with this fashion event.“It’s been very well received and there’s lots of excitement in the community as the big day approaches this Sunday.”Prizes include $500 cash, along with fashion, jewellery, adventure and spa vouchers totalling over $1000, and co-coordinator Diane Dynes said there had already been interest shown by local women.“I’ve already heard about some ladies who’re dressing for the day – and why not - the prizes are amazing.“The forecast looks good and it’s a chance to wear something fabulous, so I encourage people to come along, enjoy the atmosphere and have a great day.”Sunday’s race meeting is part of the International World Driving Championships, bringing elite drivers from around the world to complete in races held across New Zealand, including in Winton.

Fewer than 50 properties in Southland and 67 properties in South Otago remain without power after last month's devastating winds.PowerNet says it has made huge progress in reconnecting residents, but it is aware there is a small number of people who have been without power for nearly two weeks.It said it was working to restore power to the 115 properties as soon as possible.The storm knocked out supplies to more than 25,000 properties.Community hubs remain open across Southland and parts of South Otago.Emergency Management Southland said many parks, reserves, cemeteries and playgrounds in Invercargill, Bluff, and the Southland District remained closed.Southland District Council had an estimated 15,000 trees to assess with more than 1000 deemed safe and another 60 needing some work.Invercargill City Council estimated more than 1000 trees were potentially damaged and many parks and reserves needed a clean-up.Emergency Management Southland said people should not collect firewood or enter storm-affected areas as wood from fallen trees in parks would be made available when it was safe.The state of emergency is due to lapse on Friday.A community BBQ will be held at Woodend on Friday, hosted by Rural Support Trust, Emergency Management Southland, DairyNZ and others.Published by Permission

The Otago Regional Council fears some lessons have not been learnt almost three years after Cyclone Gabrielle highlighted significant weaknesses in critical infrastructure.It wants the government to urgently strengthen telecommunications after destructive winds cut power and knocked cell towers off-line.Winds of up to 150 kilometres an hour battered the lower South Island last month, leaving communities without power and mobile coverage for long periods.The Otago Regional Council said communications and water supplies were disrupted as backup systems were failed, revealing "serious weaknesses in regional resilience", in a report tabled at Wednesday's council meeting.It prompted the council to draft a letter, asking the government for urgent changes.They included a minimum standard for power backup to cell towers, helping to upgrade existing infrastructure in rural areas, and looking at switching options between networks when one provider's coverage fails.The council wanted the government to work with councils and emergency management to identify high risk areas and prioritise investment.Councillor Gary Kelliher backed the call."We've become very reliant on telecommunications and it is the difference between life and death in many situations and we don't realise how much we really rely on telecommunications until you suddenly don't have them and then how isolated areas can become," Kelliher said.He was pleased the letter was calling for more support for local radio stations.They were often forgotten about when the weather was calm, but were fallen back on and desperately needed when severe weather arrived, he said.Councillor Kate Wilson said support might be needed to roll out any upgrades."Seems absolutely abhorrent that this capacity and resilience hasn't been built into the systems already," she said.Councillor Neil Gillespie welcomed the letter, but said it was also up to locals to be prepared."You've got a responsibility to yourself first too, about how you're going to look after this stuff. You need to be better prepared in some areas than what you are or at least be informed about what areas might impact on you," he said.A crushed electricity transformer lies under a tree. Photo: RNZ/Calvin SamuelWhen Cyclone Gabrielle struck, prolonged power cuts and damage to fibre-optic backhaul links caused widespread telecommunications outages.It was a wake up call, highlighting significant weaknesses in the country's critical infrastructure and sparking proposals on how to boost resilience.Telecommunications Forum chief executive Paul Brislen said the industry had been doing the mahi.That included upgrading cell tower batteries with new technology that lasted longer, limiting how cell towers could be used - allowing texts and calls only - to extend the battery life, and using low earth orbit satellites that would also boost resilience."We have fibre, we have fixed wireless, we have mobile and now with satellite coming on as well, I think that gives us an incredibly robust network of networks," he said.Some of the council's requests were already in place including carrying emergency calls between networks and having as long a back up system as anywhere in the world, Brislen said.He was not sure there was much more than could do to make Southland's network more resilient.For him, the crux of the issue was power.But they were working closely with electricity distribution companies across the country to make sure they were prioritising telecommunications as a critical lifeline, he said."PowerNet in Southland did a fantastic job of that. They worked closely with our engineers on the ground so that we could put generators in areas where they weren't going to be able to work for several days and we didn't put generators where they were going to turn the power back on in an hour or so," he said.But he said people needed to keep their expectations real and be prepared."We can't build a network that will never break. I just don't think that's reasonable or at all achievable. But we can build a network that we can restore as quickly as possible," he said."Customers need to know that these networks were never designed to withstand the kind of weather we're going to see over the next 50 to 100 years."A State of Emergency remains in place for Clutha and Southland.Published by Permission

State Highway 6/Winton-Lorneville Highway near Invercargill has reopened after a roadside hedge fire forced its closure earlier this evening. The highway was closed at Makarewa, between Counsell Road and Orion Road East. Emergency services were working at the site of the fire. Detours were available via Orion Road East, Minerva Road and Counsell Road. While the road is now open again, people are asked to travel with care in this area. 

Road OpenLow Avalanche HazardComments:No travel delays expected today.Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Rain easing to showers Tomorrow: Showers then rain Saturday: Rain easing Sunday: Showers then rain Monday: Heavy rain

An Invercargill Lotto ticket holder has won $250,000, after winning First Division in tonight's live Lotto draw.The Invercargill ticket was sold at Collingwood Foodcentre.They share the win with four other First Division winners who came from Hamilton, Carterton and Lower Hutt.Tonight's Powerball however was not struck and now rolled over to Saturday night, where the jackpot will be $40 million.Lotto NZ Head of Corporate Communications, Will Hine said Powerball will now be an epic $40 million on Saturday"It’s now the highest it’s been since August last year when an Auckland family scored themselves $44.67 million – the biggest ever Powerball prize won on a single ticket.”“High jackpots are exciting, and we know New Zealanders all around the country will be dreaming about what they would do if they won $40 million this weekend.”“We’re encouraging our players to remember that big jackpots still have small odds, and one ticket is enough to be in the draw.”“Stores will be busy on Saturday afternoon, and MyLotto in the evening, so it’s best to avoid those times and get your ticket early,” he says.Strike Four was also won tonight by a lucky player from Auckland, who takes home $200,000.Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above stores or on MyLotto should check their ticket as soon as possible in-store, on MyLotto, or through the MyLotto App.

Farmers' hopes for a $10 a kilogram milk payout are under pressure after another price drop at the Global Dairy Trade auction overnight.That's according to Rabobank Dairy Analyst Emma Higgins who said the drop confirmed that markets were spooked by the current volume of milk supply.The price fall was the sixth time in a row, down 2.4 percent to its lowest level since September 2024.Whole milk powder - key to farmers' payouts - dropped 2.7 percent to about US$3500 a tonne.Higgins said farmers would now look to Fonterra in the coming weeks to watch what happened to the payout price."Ultimately, what we're likely to see over the coming weeks and months ahead is a continuation of ample supplies of milk for buyers," she said."Just given that here in New Zealand, we're largely doing okay in terms of milk production environment or settings."We've got milk production tracking 3 percent almost ahead for their season today compared to last season and the globe as well, there's still really cheap feed prices, which is protecting farmer margins even though prices might be starting to slip elsewhere.With so much milk available for market, buyers really don't feel that sense of urgency to jump into the market and buy with gusto, she said."So, in the absence of really strong demands and extra milk flows, we're likely to see this trend of weaker commodity prices continue towards the end of Christmas."Published by permissionIn September, Fonterra confirmed farmers would get a payout of $10.16 per kilogram of milk solids for the 2024/25 season.For the upcoming 2025/26 season, Fonterra has a forecast midpoint of $10 per kilogram of milk solids, with a forecast range of $9 to $11 per kilogram.

Two men have had their nets, waders and other equipment seized after being caught illegally whitebaiting at the Waiau Mouth last night (4 Nov) - five days after the season closed.Operation Īnaka, run jointly by Police and the Department of Conservation, is focusing on whitebaiters illegally fishing in Western Southland.Last night was the third time Western Southland Police have run a nighttime operation.Western Southland Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Pete Graham said the whitebaiting season had ended on 31 October so it was disappointing to find two men illegally fishing.“We have seized their whitebaiting fishing equipment and will be referring the incident to the Department of Conservation to consider prosecution action."“I encourage all whitebaiters to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations around fishing activity, in order to avoid any confusion,” Graham said.Police urge the community to report any illegal or suspicious activity by calling 111 if it is happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact.You can also make a report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.CLICK HERE for information on whitebaiting.

Emergency status Southland remains under a state of local emergency following the severe winds on Thursday 23 October. At this stage, the state of emergency will terminate on Friday 7 November unless extended. Today’s focus Safety of our communities continues to be our biggest concern. Parks & safety:  Many parks, reserves, cemeteries and playgrounds in Invercargill, Bluff, and the Southland District remain closed. Parks and playgrounds in Gore are open. Closed areas are closed for a reason – they are dangerous and by entering you put yourself and potentially our emergency responders at risk if you need their assistance. Do not collect firewood or enter storm-affected sites. Wood from fallen trees in parks will be made available when it is safe to do so. Trees & debris:  Councils are continuing to assess the scale of damage. Southland District Council had six arborists assessing trees today. Estimated 15,000 tree sites to assess. So far over 5000 have been deemed safe, with around 129 needing some work and 16 deemed dangerous requiring immediate attention.  The arboretum in Otautau remains closed.  All parks and reserves in Winton are now officially open. Invercargill City Council estimates over 1000 trees potentially damaged and clean-up still needed on a number of parks and reserves. The council is preparing for a free green waste and scrap metal drop-off as soon as it can set it up safely. Guy Fawkes safety Take care with fireworks this Guy Fawkes. All of Southland is still in a state of emergency following the recent severe wind event. The last thing we need is a spate of fires causing more devastation and drawing emergency staff and volunteers away from the storm response. Check out the great tips for a safe and fun Guy Fawkes on the Fire & Emergency Facebook page. Welfare support Remember to check on whānau, friends, and neighbours — especially those needing extra help. This is very important as fatigue starts to set in. Community hubs across Southland remain open for power, Wi-Fi, and showers. Southland Rural Support Trust has been taking calls from farmers and growers impacted by the weather events last week and this service is available by calling 0800 787 254 for a confidential chat. Welfare support: 0800 890 127 (available 9am–3pm) | [email protected] Mental health support (24/7): Call or text 1737  Power Outages: 48 in Southland and 67 in South Otago remain without power. PowerNet chief executive Paul Blue acknowledged the response from the public - “Your patience and your kindness to our crews has been nothing short of outstanding.” If you have previously submitted a form on the PowerNet website BEFORE power was restored to your general area, and your neighbours have power on but you don’t, please fill out another form or call PowerNet on 0800 808 587. There will be additional outages throughout the networks while they identify what needs to happen to reconnect outstanding outages. If your power goes off again and doesn’t come back on after four hours, give PowerNet a call on 0800 808 587. If there is obvious damage to the service line within your boundary, please contact an electrician to look at this for you. It may not resolve your power issues but it will ensure your property is ready to be reconnected when they get there to fix any other problems. Community BBQs A community BBQ is being hosted at Woodend on Friday 7 November by Rural Support Trust, Emergency Management Southland, DairyNZ & others. Keep an eye on Southland Rural Support Trust on Facebook. 

The Invercargill City Council had its first meeting of the new term yesterday (4 Nov) and confirmed the appointments to its various committees.The city’s new Mayor, Tom Campbell, and returning elected members Steve Broad, Alex Crackett, Grant Dermody, Trish Boyle, Ria Bond, Darren Ludlow, Ian Pottinger, Allan Arnold, and Barry Stewart were joined by new Councillors Andrea de Vries and Lisa Tou-McNaughton, as well as Marcus Lush, who served as an Invercargill City Councillor between 2021 and 2022.Mayor Campbell said he was looking forward to getting to work alongside all elected members.“There’s an interesting mix of experience and fresh thinking around the Council table, and we’re all focused on keeping things moving in a positive, thriving direction,” he said.“I look forward to standing alongside all of our Councillors, and ensuring the community we serve is at the centre of our decision-making.”Appointments confirmed at the meeting included:Councillor Grant Dermody – Deputy Mayor; Chairperson, Water Committee; Portfolio, Te Unua Museum of Southland; Council representative, Bluff Community BoardCouncillor Alex Crackett – Chairperson, Infrastructure and Growth Committee; Portfolio, Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ)Councillor Darren Ludlow – Chairperson, Community and Regulatory CommitteeCouncillor Trish Boyle – Chairperson, Risk and Assurance CommitteeAn external chairperson for the Risk and Assurance Committee, Ross Jackson, was also appointed by elected members.

Comments:No travel delays expected today.Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Cloudy, rain in evening Tomorrow: Rain easing to showers Friday: Showers then rain Saturday: Rain easing Sunday: Showers then rain

The new chair of Environment Southland has promised both collaboration and transparency in his maiden speech.On Tuesday, fourth-term councillor Jeremy McPhail was appointed chair of the regional council in a unanimous decision by elected members.McPhail served as deputy to former chair Nicol Horrell last term, and his claim on the top job did not appear to come as a complete surprise.In a prepared speech, he said he was humbled by the confidence his fellow councillors had shown in him.“As a farmer myself, I understand the practical challenges our rural sector faces, and I also know how deeply our communities value the environment we all depend on,” he said.“The strength of Southland lies in our ability to work together, to have open conversations, and to find balanced, practical solutions that protect both our environment and our livelihoods.”McPhail said the council would continue to work closely with iwi partners, local councils, industry and community groups.“Together we can continue to make progress on the issues that matter most, improving water quality, building resilience to climate change . . . and supporting sustainable land use across our region."Second-termer Phil Morrison was selected as McPhail's deputy by unanimous decision, but committee structures and positions would not be decided until next month.The first meeting of the term saw four new members officially join the council's ranks — Roger Hodson, Ewan Mathieson, David Rose and Geoffrey Young.Former councillors who did not seek re-election included Horrell, Robert Guyton and Neville Cook; Peter McDonald stood for the Hokonui Constituency but was ousted by Rose.At other Southland councils, district mayor Rob Scott selected Christine Menzies as his deputy, while Invercargill mayor Tom Campbell chose Grant Dermody as his offsider.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Mana whenua representative roles have been given the green light at Invercargill City Council following a vote at the inaugural meeting.Introduced in 2021, the arrangement allows one representative from each of the city’s two rūnaka to be internally selected and put forward to council.Mayor Tom Campbell said the proposal this time around was for the representatives to sit on every council committee which was a “fairly significant increase in their involvement”, but one which mirrored councillors'.Council manager governance and legal Michael Morris said no names had yet been given from rūnaka partners as the process was still being worked through.The positions have been held by Rev Evelyn Cook (Waihōpai Rūnaka) who gave an impassioned valedictory speech on its challenges, and Pania Coote (Te Rūnanga o Awarua) who unsuccessfully ran for the council this election. Both still hold the positions until appointees are decided for the upcoming term.Cook was present at Tuesday’s meeting and responded to an issue raised by councillor Ria Bond about engagement with Ngā Matawaka — Māori living in Murihiku/Southland who were not Ngāi Tahu.Bond said there was a “tricky situation” where Matawaka had to seek leadership underneath mana whenua, which was adding to internal relationship conflict.“Coming around and being around the Matawaka, different iwi down here, it’s quite prevalent that they are wanting quite a bit of engagement, but to feel like they are there on their own mana, not under anyone else's.”It was important their voices were heard and engaged with at council, Bond said.Cook said engagement was not as successful as hoped, but acknowledged it was a two-way street.An opportunity had been missed appointing deputy mayor Grant Dermody to an iwi liaison group instead of Bond, she added.The decision to continue with the representative roles was widely supported on Tuesday, bar an objection from councillor Barry Stewart who has previously taken exception with the use of Te Reo Māori.Mana whenua representatives are able to vote at committee level, but legislation prevents them doing so at full council because they are unelected.The positions are voted on at the start of each term because they are not statutory appointments, a council report explained.Their honorarium is set to be discussed at a meeting on 11 November where councillor pay will also be decided.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Just over 300 people across Southland and South Otago remain without power since last month's damaging winds.PowerNet said at its peak, more than 25,000 people lost power.Both Southland and Clutha remain under a state of emergency with work underway to assess the scale of the damage, provide welfare support, fix damage and clean up.PowerNet chief executive Paul Blue said it was encouraging to see numbers drop so significantly, but the company had not forgotten some customers had not had electricity for 13 days."Your patience and your kindness to our crews has been nothing short of outstanding," he said.PowerNet had received hundreds of fault reports and were cross-checking them with what field crews were seeing on the ground, Blue said."We're now in what we call the 'tail' of the response. It can be challenging to pinpoint where the last of our faults are, or the causes of those faults."Rest assured we are still pushing hard to get to each of you, to understand what's required, and to get your power restored safely."As of 2.30pm on Tuesday, 115 customers in Southland and 205 people in South Otago did not have power.Community hubs remain open across Southland and parts of South Otago.Emergency Management Southland said many parks, reserves, cemeteries and playgrounds in Invercargill, Bluff, and the Southland District remained closed."These areas are closed for a reason - they are dangerous and by entering you put yourself and potentially our emergency responders at risk if you need their assistance," a spokesperson said.Southland District Council had an estimated 15,000 trees to assess with more than 1000 deemed safe and another 60 needing some work.Invercargill City Council estimated more than 1000 trees were potentially damaged and many parks and reserves needed a clean-up.Emergency Management Southland said people should not collect firewood or enter storm-affected areas as wood from fallen trees in parks would be made available when it was safe.The state of emergency is due to lapse on Friday.A community BBQ will be held at Woodend on Friday, hosted by Rural Support Trust, Emergency Management Southland, DairyNZ and others.Published by Permission