The Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council is concerned about supplies of sulphuric acid and other hazardous chemicals which are underwater.
The council says large amounts of chemicals can not yet be moved from the fellmongery in Shannon, and other premises may have similar problems.
Meanwhile, blue skies provided a psychological boost for residents in flood struck Waitotara Valley but the relief was only short term with the Civil Defence co-ordinator for the South Taranaki region, Graham Young, saying the forecast was for high winds and heavy rain to strike on Thursday afternoon. Young said crews cleaning up the township would be removed at the first sign of the severe weather.
A support centre has been set up in the Waitotara pub with WINZ providing monetary support for people who need food supplies. A helicopter is flying in food to stranded residents and another is evacuating distressed people.
Farmers co-ordinating relief efforts for flood victims say they are overwhelmed with offers of grazing and milking for displaced dairy cows and those whose home farms are flooded.
Charlie Pedersen of Federated Farmers say they have more than enough help now to cover their needs and should place the 13,000 to 14,000 cows in the Manawatu-Rangitikei and Horowhenua regions which need temporary homes. But they are still accepting donations of feed, such as hay and silage that can be trucked in.
About 1000 households in the flood-affected region are still without power and some 1,500 have intermittent or no phone service. The electricity lines company, PowerCo, says it hopes to have the power back for about 700 households, mostly in the Wanganui district. But it could take days to restore power to the remaining 300 isolated customers.
Some communities still have no running water and others are being asked to boil their drinking water as a precaution. In parts of Manawatu, the water supply is not likely to be restored until after the weekend. Raw sewage is still running into some rivers.
In the Hutt Valley the clean up of streets worst affected by this week's flooding is continuing while the council keeps a close watch on the latest severe weather warnings.
The Hutt City Council estimates about 112 Hutt Valley houses have flood and slip damage and inspectors have begun the task of assessing them for sewage contamination.
The civil defence controller, Paul Nickalls, says in one of the worst affected areas - Riverside Drive in Lower Hutt - residents are trying to dry out their houses.
He says volunteers are also helping clean up damaged houses in Naenae, Stokes Valley, Wainuiomata and the Western Hills.
He says skips are being distributed for the clean up and the council is continuing to monitor hillsides for slips.
