West Auckland's Ōpanuku Stream often gets clogged up with debris, causing it to overflow, putting homes at risk.
But this afternoon, a digger was brought in to clear it out.
"Some of the blockages are things that you wouldn't expect, like there was a caravan washed down the road and jammed into a bridge that flooded about 20 houses," Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said.
A total of $6 million of council money and $2 million from the central government's Accelerating Storm Readiness Fund will fund urgent maintenance work across Auckland, with 15 problematic areas identified that often get blocked up.
So far, $1.4m has been allocated to accelerated debris removal, $400,000 to community support and $200,000 to guiding and supporting residents with information on how to prepare their properties. This includes education on overland flow paths.
"As we come into the winter season, as we can see, and in the last week, we're gonna continue to be hit by weather events," Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell said.
Lyall Carter's property has been deemed unsafe to live in following last year's Auckland Anniversary weekend floods and it's set to be purchased as part of the buyout programme.
"This work needed to have happened decades ago," he said. "My real concern is for those neighbours who missed the floods this time. If we don't have a continuous maintenance programme, those who missed it this time will get hit the next time."
Brown said plenty of money has been set aside for flood mitigation work in the future.
"There's hundreds of millions of dollars in there for that stuff, but prevention is better than cure."
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Areas for accelerated winter debris removal are:
- Coatesville - Rangitopuni and Mahoenui streams
- Kumeū - Kumeū River
- Glenfield - Easton Park Parade
- Sunnyvale - Waikumete Stream
- Henderson - Opanuku and Waikumete streams
- Ranui - Paremuka Stream
- Hillsborough - Olsen Ave
- Avondale - Oakley Creek
- Waterview - Oakley Creek
- Mt Albert - Oakley Creek
- St Helliers - Glen Atkinson Reserve
- Māngere - James Fletcher Drive, Gray-Hain Ave, Mahunga Drive culvert
- Clevedon - Wairoa River
- Pukekohe - Whangapouri Creek
- Howick - Freyberg Place
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