Tasman Flooding: Council Spends Most of Annual Budget in Two Weeks

The Tasman District Council has revealed that it has spent the majority of its annual budget within just two weeks due to the devastating impact of flooding and heavy rainfall. The region has been hit by a series of extreme weather events, leading to widespread damage and a significant financial burden on local authorities.

The council reported that the clean-up efforts have been ongoing since the start of the month, with the most recent storm causing severe damage. The cost of repairing roads and infrastructure has been staggering, with up to $500,000 being spent daily on fixing the local roading network.

Richard Kirby, the council's community infrastructure and group recovery manager, stated that the repair bill could reach between $20-25 million. He noted that about 40 roads remain closed, and the situation is expected to improve in the next few weeks as more resources are deployed.

One of the biggest challenges has been the type of material that needs to be removed, particularly in the Motueka Valley. Kirby described the situation as similar to