Tairāwhiti news digest: Weekend three-car crash, rain and thunder watch, beach swimming unsafe

Three vehicles were involved in a crash on State Highway 2 at Muriwai about noon on Saturday. There were no serious injuries.

A first responder says it was fortunate no one was seriously injured in a crash involving three vehicles at Muriwai on State Highway 2 over the weekend.

The incident happened about noon on Saturday, in the southbound lane near Nicks Head Station.

A senior firefighter said two vehicles collided head on, while a third went off the road and down a bank.

Firefighters said two of the vehicles involved in Saturday's crash collided head on, while a third left the road and went down a bank.

“This call had the potential to be a bad one,” he said.

“We were pleased no one was seriously hurt as it could have been way worse.”

The vehicle that went down the bank rolled as it did so, he said.

“Altogether there were five people across all three vehicles.

“One of them was taken to hospital for a check-up by road ambulance.”

The Trust Tairāwhiti rescue helicopter, police, a Fire and Emergency NZ crew from Manutūkē, and St John attended the crash.

Police are investigating the circumstances.

The Gisborne Herald understands one of the vehicles may have been on its way to the R&V festival.

“Our plea to motorists with a lot of extra traffic on the region’s roads is for people to take their time, take a break, drive to the conditions and avoid distractions,” the senior firefighter said.

“Also – wear your seatbelts.

“The people in this crash were all belted up and if they hadn’t been, it may have been a worse outcome.”

Surfers at The Pipe on Midway Beach on Saturday. The council closed the emergency sewage discharge valves on Saturday at noon, but the city beaches will remain unsafe for swimming and surfing until noon on Thursday. Photo / Murray Robertson

Gisborne’s city beaches a health risk until Thursday

The city’s rivers and beaches will not be deemed safe for swimming until Thursday as a result of the raw sewage discharges associated with the Boxing Day deluge.

Gisborne Airport recorded nearly 90mm of rain on December 26, and rainfall across the region created a new December record for Gisborne of more than 206mm.

Gisborne District Council was forced to open the emergency sewage discharge valves into the city rivers because of the risks of overflows on to properties.

On Monday, a council spokeswoman said the scours (emergency discharge valves) were closed again on Saturday before noon.

“We have warning signs up in all the usual places,” the council spokeswoman said.

“The signs were all inspected again yesterday to ensure all are in the right places.”

The spokeswoman said the signs would come down five days after the scours closed.

“That is the usual practice.”

The health warnings were ignored by surfers riding the waves at Roberts Rd and The Pipe at Midway Beach, and some people were seen going for a swim.

On Sunday several people were seen bathing in the sea between Waikanae and Midway, despite red danger flags flying at the surf lifesaving clubs.

MetService issues another rain and thunderstorm watch

A brief respite from wet weather in Tairāwhiti is due to break again with a MetService rain watch in place until Tuesday evening.

The yellow heavy rain watch was issued for Gisborne south of Tolaga Bay and the Wairoa district just past 9am on Monday.

MetService predicted periods of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms with localised downpours.

The rain was expected to ease on Monday evening, but periods of heavy rain with thunderstorms could affect the area from late Tuesday morning and into the evening.

There was a moderate chance of the watch upgrading to a warning.

A yellow severe thunderstorm watch is also in place from 1pm Monday until 9pm over Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Tararua and Wairarapa.

MetService said the thunderstorms could generate localised downpours up to 50mm/h, and possibly large hail or significant accumulations of hail.

“Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips,” MetService says on its website.

“Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain. Large hail can cause significant damage to crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles.”