Storm Damage Update 7 Feb 1pm

After record rainfall across Taranaki this weekend, rain around the coast and in other parts of South Taranaki is subsiding, but some flooding may still be present, so care is needed.

If you do come across flood waters, remember do not drive or walk through the floodwater. The water may have washed away parts of the road and may contain debris. Proceed with caution.

Treat all flood water as contaminated and unsafe and do not swim in floodwaters. Our rivers remain very dangerous.

If you become trapped by floodwaters call 111 immediately.

Significant damage has been caused to the district’s road network. Here is an update on current local road status:

Mid Parihaka Road – Bridge overtopped with flood water, remains closed until thorough engineering assessment is done.

Weld St/Browne St in Normanby – road now open

Tangahoe Valley Rd – Closed at the 4.1km mark and other slips further up the road – crews on site clearing. Road opening will be dependent on progress made

Rawhitiroa Rd – Mangamingi Saddle (14km from Eltham) – crews on site expected to be clear by mid afternoon

Stent Rd (at the coast) – culvert washout – crews on site open mid afternoon

Roading crews are out across the district assessing damage and repairing roads today (currently investigating washouts on Opua Rd, Coast Rd, Punagrehu Rd) and we are continuing to receive calls of damage (mainly from coastal Taranaki).

Other roads in the district may be blocked or damaged with slips, debris, surface flooding so please avoid driving if possible and take care if travelling.

For up to date information on road closures/incidents on State Highways (SH 3 and SH 45) got to the Waka Kotahi NZTA website here.

Due to the record rainfall wastewater overflows occurred in numerous places across the district.

Warning signs have been erected at York St Patea, Mana Bay, Patea Boat ramp, Tawhiti Stream Hawera, Middleton Bay and Opunake Lake. Please do not collect fish/shellfish and plant life or come into contact with the water at these locations. The warning signs will remain in place until levels are considered safe.

As a general rule heavy rain flushes contaminants from urban and rural land into waterways and we always advise people not to swim in streams/rivers for at least three days after heavy or prolonged rainfall – even if a site usually has good water quality.

The record downpour was caused by the same front responsible for flooding and the evacuation of hundreds of homes on the South Island's West Coast.

For example, Cape Egmont – recorded 138mm of rain in just four hours on Sunday, which, in comparison, is the same amount of rain New Plymouth would typically experience across the winter month of July. A total of 463.8mm of rain fell at Cape Egmont between 2am Saturday and 1pm Sunday, MetService said.

“This is truly exceptional rainfall for a station at sea level,” it said.

For weather forecasting information please see www.metservice.co.nz