Lake Forsyth in Banks Peninsula following the bad weather. But residents said opening Lake Forsyth to the sea could have lowered the level of flooding in the town. "Once that lake opened ... it drained away pretty quickly," he said. Lake Forsyth is about a kilometre south of Little River and is fed by the Okana and Okuti Rivers. "I think [Lake Forsyth] played a significant role," he said.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 18, 2026 22:23 UTC