Source: Radio New Zealand
On Sunday night, MetService’s remaining warnings and watches in place for the lower North Island, upper South Island and West Coast. MetService/Screenshot
MetService has lifted thunderstorm warnings for most of the North Island, except the Wellington Region and Tararua, with orange and yellow warnings and watches in place for Monday.
A state of local emergency was declared earlier for the small town of Ōhura in the Ruapehu District due to heavy rain, and a local Civil Defence Centre was opened at the Memorial Hall on Ngarimu Street.
Manawatū-Whanganui Emergency Management Group earlier said it was responding to flooding across the region, caused by the heavy rain, and an emergency mobile alert was sent to the people of Ōhura early on Sunday morning, notifying them of the need to prepare to self-evacuate.
“Six residents of Ōhura self-evacuated, with the Ōhura Memorial Hall opened as a Civil Defence Centre.”
The Ōhura River had hit very high levels, with stormwater and drainage systems reaching capacity, it said.
Flood protection assets were deployed in Whanganui due to river level modelling warnings, and people in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region were urged to be careful. The Whanganui River overflowed its banks in places, but flooding was less severe than initially feared at peak river volume and high tide – about noon on Sunday.
However, with the area saturated, people were urged to stay on guard and not to wait for official warnings if they saw water rising: “Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
“Remember, never try to walk, swim, drive through or play in floodwater.”
On Sunday night, the Manawatū-Whanganui Emergency Management Group said it was supporting the continued response for Whanganui and Ōhura, and enhanced monitoring would continue. High tide for the Whanganui River was expected at 11:30pm Sunday.
Many regions affected by the weekend’s weather
Elsewhere, emergency operations staff in Lower Hutt were monitoring river levels throughout the night into Sunday after heavy rain battered the city on Saturday.
Through Sunday, an orange heavy rain warning for Bay of Plenty east of the Whakatāne River was lifted, as were thunderstorm warnings for Auckland, and yellow heavy ran watches for parts of Auckland, Gisborne-Tairāwhiti and Canterbury.
State Highway 58 in the Wellington Region, between Pāuatahanui and State Highway 2 interchange, which was affected by flooding, was reopened during Sunday, but with warnings that minor flooding remained, and drivers should take extra care.
While in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region – State Highway 3 from Mokau to Piopio, and State Highway 43 between Whangamōmona and Taumarunui, was also closed after earlier reopening briefly.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
