EQC stonewalls NBR flood request
As Christchurch endures flooded streets, NBR has been stonewalled by EQC about flood remediation plans
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Hawke’s Bay
As Christchurch endures flooded streets, NBR is still awaiting a response to questions about long-awaited flood plain modelling and flood remediation in Christchurch sent to EQC a week before today’s devastating flooding.
EQC spin doctors are hampering the process, attempting to stonewall NBR’s reporter with a complaint over “aggressive questioning”, according to EQC stakeholder communications manager Iain Butler.
“We are working away on what I consider a comprehensive response to Chris’s questions but I would like some assurance that the final product of this exchange will be fair, balanced and accurate – in other words, some intervention from head office may be required before the final article goes to print,” Mr Butler says.
Within 24 hours of Mr Butler’s gripe, the most affected areas in Shirley, St Albans and Richmond were thigh-high in water as they were in June 2013 when the flood plain modelling was initiated.
For two days the city has endured wild winds and near vertical sheeting rain that has caused havoc with the sewage system and flooded homes and businesses.
Areas that escaped flooding in June 2013 also took a big hit this time – many suburbs such as Sumner are currently cut off, Lyttelton residents report flooding never experienced before, traffic snarls its way through flooded streets in central Christchurch, many streets are off limits, and sewerage may have escaped into the floodwaters the council says.
At mid-morning the rain is slowly easing and the swollen waterways are expected to subside over the next day or two.
Chris Hutching
Wed, 05 Mar 2014
Wed, 05 Mar 2014
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