30-04-2025
Weather: Selwyn homes under threat from rising water levels, Mayor 300km away.
For some, it's too late.
'The neighbours behind us, the water's already in their house,' says Reid.
He says he's aware that there could be worse to come.
'Now that I've put seed bags here from work to try and deflect it - it's starting to work, but there's still a lot more water to come from up the road,' says Reid.
Reid admits he's worried about how bad it could still get for an area that is notorious for flooding, but could be seeing new levels of damage.
'I've been out here all my life and I've never seen it this bad,' said Reid.
Meanwhile, it's understood that Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton was in Wellington when a State of Emergency was declared in the district early this morning. Broughton heads Local Government New Zealand.
He's now unable to fly back to Christchurch.
Broughton took to social media this morning to declare the State of Emergency.
'Part of the issue is Selwyn Huts and the need for self-evacuation in that area, there's an expectation that that community will be cut off and the river may breach,' said Broughton in a video on the Selwyn District Facebook page.
A number of Selwyn schools have closed for the day, including Ellesmere College, Lincoln High School and Darfield High School.
