Sinkhole opens in f loodwall

A large sinkhole has opened up in a new part of the Greymouth floodwall, recently extended at a cost of $2.4 million. The hole measures about 3.5m wide and is just as deep. It is opposite the Autodiesel building, at the start of Omoto Road. Other cracks are visible in the floodwall in the immediate vicinity. West Coast Regional Council planning and environment manager Simon Moran said this morning it would be fixed in the next day or so. Whether the cost of repairs fell on the council or the contractor depended on what caused the collapse, which was still being determined. However, the hole sits atop a new culvert that takes stormwater into the Grey River. “It looks like where it’s (meant to be) sealed into the wall, it’s just not sealed. It’s no great drama, but not what we would have hoped for.” The hole was believed to have emerged overnight after a solid day of rain. MBD was the main contractor on the floodwall, but large parts were sub-contracted out to a number of other companies.