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RNZ News
29-07-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Heavy rain falls on Tasman again: 'We're definitely over it'
Tasman residents who have spent the last month in clean up mode have been hoping today's rain doesn't cause the same devastation seen in recent weeks. People in the district have endured two large floods and repeated orange heavy rain warnings, since the first flood caused widespread damage on 27 June. Dovedale has been hit by more rain in the latest weather event. Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii Upper Moutere farmer Murray Silcock said it had been a worrisome few weeks. "Most farmers here were very nervous, not only farmers, the whole community is just wondering where we're heading now into the future with low lying land and flooding in houses, not just paddocks." Murray Silcock Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii Silcock is a bull beef farmer near Dovedale. He said his farm could handle 100 millimetres of rain in one go, and on Tuesday afternoon it had already received about 60mm. Today's rain forecast - two weeks after the last flood that saw his calf-rearing sheds damaged by floodwater and inundated with silt - had him feeling anxious. "The first one softened everything and did a lot of damage, a lot of sediment, a lot of fences knocked over, then along two weeks later comes the second flood and it just played havoc." Since then, Silcock said they had been busy cleaning up. Farmlands had been supportive, organising a bulldozer and fencing gear, helping to coordinate recovery work along the Dove River and getting silt cleared out of the sheds before 2000 bobby calves arrived later this week. It has been a worrisome few weeks for farmers in the area. Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii A fifth-generation farmer, having farmed in the area his whole life, he said it was the wettest winter he could recall. "When I looked in the diary a couple of weeks ago, it was around about 1100 mm over the last three and a half months, which is a lot of rain in this area, because a lot of that actually fell over two weeks." He estimated the clean up, building fences, reinstating culverts and fixing slips would take 12 months and cost around $200,000, only some of which would be covered by insurance. Further south at the Civil Defence centre in Tapawera, lead welfare officer Kelly Russell - who has lived in the district for nearly 30 years - said this was also the worst winter she had experienced. "We've had a couple of years where we've had a little bit of rain, a little bit of flooding, but nothing compared to this." The centre was open for anyone needing to drop in for support and would remain staffed overnight, "People are pretty stressed, there's a lot of damage in different places, the last thing we really need is more rain. It'd be nice to have a bit of sunshine but we're all hanging in there doing what we have to do, that's what you do when you're in the country." Russell said the repeat nature of the floods was difficult to deal with and she was "definitely over" the rain. "You're constantly thinking, 'are my stock safe? Is my land safe? Am I going to lose anything this time? It's hard." She was hopeful the rain would not come to much and the settlement would not experience flooding again, this time around. Tapawera NPD shop manager Sarah Jacobs said after the back-to-back floods, many in the community were exhausted. "There is definitely a sense of anxiety and fear in the air, but as I keep saying, preparation is important and this has been a really good opportunity to be prepared for other events that should happen, like earthquakes or any natural disasters." Sarah Jacobs Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii Jacobs said it was important people had emergency kits, ready to go. "I learned that myself the hard way as I was evacuated in the first flood and had very little with me and it was four days before we could get it's definitely raised a great awareness to be ready and prepared for any disaster." The petrol station lost power for about 18 hours in the first flood and was unable to provide anyone with fuel, which included emergency services, and Jacobs said they were now exploring back-up systems to ensure they could continue to operate during future power outages. She said the community was still facing a big clean up that was likely to take months, if not years. "The mud and the silt and the sand that's just been dumped in places, it's heartbreaking and you get stuck in it and it smells." "We're definitely over it, we're looking forward to some warmer weather and some sunshine... we're ready to put this behind us now." Dovedale hit by more rain in latest weather event Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii Tasman mayor Tim King said after a briefing this morning with MetService, the forecast had improved slightly and there was no longer a high chance of it being upgraded to a red warning. He said those in areas previously affected by flooding remained at risk and should be prepared, which included staying elsewhere if they felt unsafe. Nelson Tasman Emergency Management duty group controller Rob Smith said the region had "stood up really well today". It remains under a heavy rain warning until at least 10pm, with some parts until midnight. Service said the peak of the weather had passed in Golden Bay as the weather system moved to the east. The emergency operations centre in Tasman would continue to monitor the weather overnight. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Techday NZ
30-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Farmlands FLEX to deliver solar microgrids for rural sector
Farmlands has announced a partnership with Blackcurrent to launch Farmlands FLEX, a solar and technology joint venture aimed at reshaping energy sourcing and management in New Zealand's rural sector. Farmlands FLEX goes beyond solar panel installations by providing intelligent microgrid systems that are custom-built and managed to serve the specific requirements of working farms and orchards. The initiative seeks to supply farmers with greater energy independence, aiming to reduce power bills, maintain essential operations during outages, and potentially generate an additional income stream. Farmlands Chief Executive Officer Tanya Houghton said, "Rising energy costs are a huge concern for our customers. Finding solutions for on-farm energy needs have been a part of Farmlands' strategy for a long time." To support the profitability and productivity of farmers and growers, Farmlands offers five-year electricity pricing certainty through its partnership with electricity provider Meridian. In addition, Farmlands' fuel joint venture, Fern Energy, is now the country's largest rural bulk fuel provider after three years of operation. With Farmlands FLEX set to become a significant element of its wider service offering, Farmlands is positioning the new system as a response to ongoing industry challenges regarding energy reliability and affordability. Houghton stated, "The on-farm applications for Farmlands FLEX are wide-reaching - the 5am dairy shed power surge, keeping irrigation running during blackouts and protecting frost fans when electricity isn't available or there's an outage. Farmlands FLEX address real farm challenges." The new solution will be formally launched at National Fieldays, but Farmlands and Blackcurrent have indicated that information and consultation opportunities are available now for interested farmers and growers. Among the immediate benefits highlighted for Farmlands FLEX are up to 40 percent reductions in electricity costs, operational continuity during power outages, and the conversion of power expenses into a tangible on-farm asset. There is also scope for customers to generate new income through the sale of surplus energy to the power grid. The company cited examples where farmers have targeted electricity savings in the thousands of dollars per month, and one recent estimate indicated an annual savings of approximately NZD $55,000 for a single customer. Houghton encouraged farmers to begin their own assessments. "No need to wait for Fieldays, grab your power bill and call us to start talking about the options for your farm or orchard." Follow us on: Share on:
