Minister heads back to snow-bound Canterbury

Civil Defence Minister Rick Barker was making his third visit to the snow blanketed Canterbury region today as residents still without electricity hunkered down ahead of another southerly blast.

A cold southerly was spreading north over the South Island and snow was expected over much of the Canterbury Plains today, the MetService reported.

Temperatures were expected to plummet, with snow down as low as 100m this afternoon or early evening. Some places above 300m could get 10cm to 15cm of snow in a six-hour period from mid-afternoon.

Supermarkets around Canterbury yesterday were bracing for another run on essential goods.

Civil Defence officials reactivated alert systems yesterday as electricity lines companies continued trying to restore power to about 1500 households in remote areas that have been without electricity since the huge snow dump nine days ago.

The icy weather forecast was expected to hinder power company contractors working in the field.

Electricity Ashburton general manager Gordon Guthrie said staff would keep an eye on the weather and when it started snowing, crews working on side spur lines would have to be pulled back.

Mr Guthrie said about 800 properties were still without power overnight and crews of 80 linesmen were restoring about 100 properties a day.

He said the latest predicted foul weather was more likely to affect progress in restoring power, rather than causing further damage.

"We have a slight concern that there are some lines that have been weakened from the original storm.

"I'm more worried about wind than snow -- with wind flapping lines back and forth because they've been stretched," he said.

Alpine Energy chief executive Greg Skelton said South Canterbury was experiencing "very cold" showers down to coastal level mid-morning.

Further snow would make it difficult for lines crews working to restore power to about 700 remaining properties.

"They will carry on doing the best they can until the weather becomes unworkable," he said.

Alpine had hoped to have everyone reconnected by Sunday, but that depended on how the latest southerly front developed.

Mr Skelton said he hoped any fresh snow froze to powder rather than being "as wet as it was when it hit us Monday a week ago".

Mr Barker was to be briefed at the Canterbury Civil Defence and emergency management group operations centre in Christchurch about lunchtime.

He visited the region last Thursday, when Defence Force personnel were put on stand-by for relief efforts, and again on Saturday.

A spokesman for the minister said Mr Barker would assess the situation and outline options available to Civil Defence in the face of the latest weather threat.

If the weather permitted, Mr Barker, who has been criticised for his intransigence in not calling out the Defence Force earlier, would visit affected districts around the beleaguered province.

Canterbury Civil Defence emergency management planner Jon Mitchell said yesterday local authorities and emergency response groups were putting resources in place to cope with further icy conditions.

Residents were advised to listen to weather forecasts, especially before travelling on roads, keep in touch with neighbours and family and ensure households had enough food and water supplies for an "extended period".

Farmers were advised to move stock to lower ground or shelter.

- NZPA