The town of Westport has received an additional $22.9 million in support to increase flood resilience after the locale was ravaged by extreme weather events in 2021. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced the funding as part of the efforts to protect Westport from future flooding, a sentiment that’s relevant now more than ever due to ongoing assessments for flood risk being conducted in collaboration with local insurers.
The funding will cover three areas of flood protection:
“Westport’s low-lying location between the Buller River, the Orowaiti Estuary and the coast makes it highly vulnerable to flooding,” Hipkins said in a news release. “Buller was dealt a rough blow with two serious flooding events in the last two years. In the July 2021 event almost a quarter of all homes in Westport needed repair and more than 2000 people were forced to evacuate.”
This new round of funding marks the third government investment into Westport. The town received $17 million in 2021 for a temporary accommodation village, followed by $13.6 million from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund in 2022 for transport and water infrastructure in Alma Road.
Local government minister Kieran McAnulty said that the Westport community has stepped up and supported each other through the calamity, backed by the $100 million recovery package from the government.
“After these devastating floods, it’s crucial central government partners with and supports this community in the long term to become more resilient,” McAnulty said. “No-one wants to see more families losing their homes, or businesses shut down due to flooding. We will be continuing to work with the West Coast Regional Council, the Buller District Council, and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae to get these new projects underway as soon as possible.”
The July 2021 flooding event was the biggest in Westport since 1926. It resulted in $73.1 million worth of insurance claims spanning house, contents, and motor, with an additional $24.1 for covers in areas outside of Westport.
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