Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell and Environment Southland gave an update on Southland and Clutha this afternoon.
On Thursday, strong winds caused widespread damage to parts of the country. Southland and Clutha District remain under states of local emergency as communications, power and water are still limited in some areas.
Farming communities have also been isolated amid the damage.
Today, officials said the states of local emergency are likely to stretch into next week as thousands of residents remain without power or water.
