Flooding likely to be worse than March storm

Kaeo township has been cut off by floodwaters and authorities dealing with the torrential rain and gale force winds lashing Northland are warning flooding and other damage could potentially exceed that of the devastating late March storm.

As of 11.30am today, the Far North appears to be bearing the brunt of the wild weather, with Kaeo cut off by surface flooding on State Highway 10 either side of the township.

The Far North District Council is reporting widespread flooding, numerous road closures, a number of sewage overflows and some slips, including one which has damaged a house at Totara North. There are also a number of weather-related power cuts throughout parts of the North.

The Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group – which is monitoring the situation from its Whangarei-based Emergency Operating Centre - says the weather is also affecting roads in the Whangarei District, including SH1 at Hikurangi, which is flooded but still passable at present.

Centre Manager Graeme MacDonald says latest rainfall figures from Northland Regional Council Hydrologists show 171mm of rain has fallen on the Kaeo area in just under 11 hours since midnight.

That is roughly double the next heaviest rainfall over the same period; the Mangamuka area, south of Kaitaia, where Regional Council figures show 86.5mm of rain had been recorded by 10.30am today.

Travel along State Highway One at Mangamuka is also limited due to flooding.

Experts are warning of widespread flooding – especially in the Far North – if the rainfall continues today as predicted by the MetService. They say the intensity of the rain could see flooding and other damage exceed that of a storm which lashed the North in late March.

To add to the region’s weather woes, many parts of Northland are being warned to expect damaging easterly winds over the next day, with gusts of up to 130 km/h likely in exposed areas from the Bay of Islands as far south as the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Mr MacDonald has once again urged Northlanders to delay all non-essential travel due to the hazardous driving conditions.

He says weather-related information - including road closures and weather warnings – continue to be posted as they come to hand on the Northland Regional Council’s website on the following link www.nrc.govt.nz/flooding

ENDS

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