Road closures in Napier from major flooding

Latham St in Napier closed due to flooding. Photo / Paul Taylor

Many Napier roads in Napier continue to be closed following extensive flooding which water-logged streets throughout the city on Tuesday.

Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group said roads closed due to flooding include Austin St, Carlyle St, Coverdale St, Dickens St, Emerson St, Ford Rd, Hooker Ave, Kennedy Ave, Lancaster St, Latham St, Niven St, Nuffield Ave and Shakespeare Rd between Battery and Coote Rd.

Breakwater Rd, between Harding Rd and Coote Rd, has also been closed due to materials falling from the bluff face.

There have also been slips around Bluff Hill and Hospital Hill area, including on France Rd, Hooker Ave, Main St, Milton Rd, Puketapu Rd (above cemetery entrance), Puketitiri Rd (down towards Oak Place), and Shakespeare Rd.

Urban Search and Rescue squads from Palmerston North and Wellington are working with Napier City Council teams to assess land slips on Napier Hill.

Fire and Emergency NZ Area Manager Ken Cooper said households were evacuated from floodwaters and slips on Hospital Hill.

"After assessments last night, 30 houses were evacuated," he said.

Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group also issued a warning to the public to avoid non-essential travel in the area.

"Please keep travel limited in flood affected areas, non-essential travel in vehicles is causing increasing damage to properties and putting people at risk," a spokeswoman said.

"Please limit all travel in affected areas to essential only."

Assessments have started on Napier homes affected by the flooding.

Waka Kotahi Regional Transport systems manager Oliver Postings said more rain is expected this evening which is likely to affect the state highways.

"The surface flooding on the state highway network in Hawke's Bay has receded, however a heavy rainfall warning remains in place and another burst of heavy rain is forecast for later on today," he said.