A fallen tree outside Gisborne's Mangapapa Church. Photo / James Pocock
A fallen tree outside Gisborne's Mangapapa Church. Photo / James Pocock
State Highway 35 has been closed from Okitū to Potaka.
About 1000 power connections have experienced outages across the district so far.
Residents have been advised to keep away from the coast with northeast swells of 6-8m and occasional waves higher than 11m predicted as high tide arrives.
Do you have photos, video or updates to share about Cyclone Vaianu? Email us at editorial@gisborneherald.co.nz
State Highway 35 north of Gisborne has been closed as Cyclone Vaianu arrived in Gisborne.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi closed the highway from Okitū to Potaka just before 1.30pm.
State Highway 2 is closed from near Wairoa to near Gisborne due to fallen trees near Nūhaka.
Large trees havefallen over the road on SH2 between Wairoa and Gisborne, NZTA said.
As of 2.15pm, SH2 between Ormond and north of Waioweka Gorge was closed.
As of 2.30pm SH2 between Nūhaka and Muriwai north of Wairoa was closed.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi spokesman Mike Owen says some highway closures around Gisborne are precautionary, while others are due to fallen trees.
“With the wind and the rain, we’ve had trees come down north and south of Gisborne, so the decision has been made to close the highways overnight until the storm or cyclone passes through and we will reopen tomorrow when it is deemed safe.”
Intense rainfall has flooded Gisborne wastewater systems.
Gisborne District Council said emergency sewer valves were opened at Oak St into the Taruheru River, and at Gladstone Rd Bridge into the Tūranganui River at 12pm.
“The discharge is highly diluted with rainwater, but it still poses a health risk,” the council said.
Temporary warning signs are in place, with people advised to avoid contact with water in the city’s three rivers and Waikanae Beach.
The advice will remain in place for at least five days after the valves are closed and warning signs removed.
The council said the decision helped prevent sewage backing up into homes and properties, which would pose a significant health risk.
Coastal swell warning
Civil Defence has advised Gisborne residents to keep away from the coast and avoid unnecessary travel as swells up to 8m- high are forecast for this afternoon.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence said northeast swells of 6-8m, with occasional waves higher than 11m, were forecast as the storm passed through the region this afternoon.
“The storm surge itself is estimated at around 40cm – but this storm passes through our region at the same time as high tide. That combination significantly increases the risk of coastal inundation, even with a moderate surge."
It said the large waves will be riding on top of an elevated water level.
Gisborne's Waikanae Beach at high tide, just after 1pm. Photo / James Pocock
Coastal residents were advised to “stay well away from the coast, beaches and rocky shorelines”, move vehicles and valuables away from the shoreline, secure anything that could be lifted by strong winds and check in on neighbours.
Tairāwhiti Emergency Management group controller Ben Green said, in an update shortly before 1pm, that it was good news at this stage that areas previously hit by severe weather in January had seen lower intensities of rain than the models had predicted so far.
“We’ve still got the rest of the afternoon, however and we will keep a track of that.
“Storm surge, our high tide particularly for Gisborne, is about to happen in the next hour.”
While he said there were no “major concerns” at this point, people should remain cautious and stay off the beaches.
Ūawa Civil Defence officer Greg Shelton said the focus was on the sea conditions and road conditions as winds picked up.
“High tide is at around [1pm] and we are just waiting to see what will happen given the sea conditions.
“We are just looking at getting a handle on State Highway 35 for emergency [services]. Obviously, with the wind, the helicopter may not be able to be deployed, so we’ve got that in the back of our mind as well for emergency vehicles to get on.
“Apart from that, we are just hunkering down and waiting for this event to blow over.”
He said the roads were fairly quiet and Civil Defence was continuing to tell people not to travel if they didn’t have to.
“There are just things happening all the time, branches coming down, and that sort of thing, so like everything, stay home and stay safe and don’t go out and be a nuisance.”
At this stage, he did not expect Ūawa residents would need to evacuate.
A large fallen tree briefly blocked SH35 between Tologa Bay and Tokomaru Bay this morning, near the intersection with Anaura Rd.
A fallen tree blocking State Highway 35 between Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay this morning was cleared by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi crews about 9am. Photo / NZTA Waka Kotahi
NZTA crews cleared the road at about 9am.
Further north, SH35 remains closed between Wharekahika/Hicks Bay and Te Araroa.
Motorists have been advised to be extra careful when driving today and be alert for any flooding, more slips and fallen trees.
A fallen tree blocking State Highway 35 between Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay this morning was cleared by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi crews about 9am. Photo / NZTA
Enhanced Fire and Emergency New Zealand rescue teams remained pre-positioned in Whangārei, Auckland, Rotorua, Tairāwhiti, and Coromandel this morning to support local fire brigades.
Power outages
About 1000 connections have been hit with power cuts in the Gisborne district this morning.
Firstlight Network reported outages affecting more than 800 customers in Gisborne city and nearby Whāngārā and Tatapouri.
A power fault reported at 10.30am left 750 customers without power in Gisborne’s Gladstone Rd, Aberdeen Rd and Campion Rd, along with the outer suburb of Makaraka.
Another fault, reported at 9.30am, affected 120 customers at Whāngārā and Tatapouri, north of Gisborne.
Lines crews had been dispatched.
Firstlight Network earlier reported four unplanned outages in the wider Gisborne district, affecting 176 customers.
A power fault at 10am left 84 customers without power on Mangatuna Paroa Rd.
Another fault at 9.30am has affected 35 customers in Waikura Valley.
Seven customers on Ihungia Rd have been affected by an unplanned outage at 8.30am.
An earlier outage affected 50 customers on Tauwhareparae Rd, Hokoroa Rd, Tutamoe Rd and Matanui Rd.
Rain warnings
An orange heavy rain warning for Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay remained from 9am until 7pm today.
MetService said to expect a further 120 to 140mm of rain about the ranges on top of what has already fallen, with 60 to 80mm closer to the coast and peak rates of 25 to 40mm/h possible in downpours this afternoon.
The warning had a moderate chance of being upgraded to red.
An orange strong wind warning remained for Gisborne from 9am today to 3am tomorrow.
MetService predicted severe gale easterlies changing to severe gale northwesterlies on Sunday afternoon or evening, with gusts of 130km/h in exposed places expected.
It had a moderate chance of upgrading to a red warning.
A heavy rain watch also remained for Gisborne about and south of Tolaga Bay, plus Hawke’s Bay north of Cape Kidnappers, from 9am to 7pm today.
MetService said these areas would see periods of heavy rain with large swells and coastal inundation likely.
