Weather and road updates #17 1:30pm

Here's an update on the roads and weather.

The Whangamata bypass - SH25 Harry Watt Rd to Port Rd is CLOSED in both directions.

The road into Opoutere Beach is now OPEN.

Avalon Rd in Whangamata is CLOSED due to slips and we've got contractors trying to clear that.

The Kauaeranga Valley Rd is closed from the Kauaeranga Visitor centre upwards. All camping, hut and walking tracks are inaccessible.

"We're also doing some urgent repairs to a pipe which supplies water to Whangamata," says Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler. "This is our priority at the moment as the pipe has moved due to subsidence from the flooding over the past few days. We've got earthmoving machines in stabilising the pipe and this will take the afternoon to fix. We have a back-up supply, so people don't need to worry about their water supply."

Meanwhile our engineering and building teams are out assessing structural damage to properties that have been reported as "at-risk."

"We have assessed two Whangamata properties currently as uninhabitable and we've got another 10 we're taking a look at," says Mr Towler.

Power outages currently at Opito, Otama and Kuaotunu have now been resolved.

Many event organisers are saying they'll go on with events planned around the Coromandel this week. However the Surf to Firth event has decided to cancel its race due to the bad weather. To find out what's still going on click here.

Kerbside collections (blue bags only) for Coromandel Town and surrounds that didn't happen on Wednesday because of the bad weather will be collected tomorrow (Saturday).

"The majority of our roads are open so if people are considering coming to the Coromandel we're asking for them to please just take are and drive to the conditions," says Mr Towler.

To find out the latest on State Highways, see road closures by NZTA here and check the weather with MetService here before travelling.

Image from Coastal News: Here's a before and after of the Onemana property where the upstairs renters and downstairs owner had a close shave with the slip. The caravan seen in the left photo is now less than a metre tall after a pohutukawa fell on it and one of the silver cars is in similar shape... A black ute parked beside it floated down the hill coming to rest just before ploughing through a wall of a house a good 50 metres or so away.

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