Advice for rain-weary Northlanders: focus on the things you can control

A fire truck makes it way through flooding on Te Ahu Ahu Rd near Waimate North. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Focus on the things you can control — that’s the advice for flood-weary Northlanders from a district councillor who knows all too well the personal toll exacted by extreme weather.

At publication time yesterday water levels were continuing to rise in some areas after a day of torrential rain and dozens of roads were closed, including SH10 in the Far North and SH1 over the Brynderwyns.

The vulnerable stretch of SH1 had reopened just nine days earlier after extensive repairs in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, leaving Northlanders once again isolated from the rest of New Zealand.

Far North District Council Kowhai (deputy mayor) Kelly Stratford, who chairs the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Committee, said it rained for two weeks straight after a storm blew the roof off her house near Kawakawa in 2014 so she understood the stress severe weather could cause.

“It was a horrible time. The rain just didn’t stop.”

Stratford said she got through by focusing on the things she could control.

“Focus on your own family and your own home. Find tasks to keep your mind busy so you’re not constantly focused on the weather or worrying about when it’s going to let up — but do check in a couple of times a day for an update.”

She also urged Northlanders to contact elderly neighbours and whānau to make sure they were okay and to call a friend or a helpline if they were feeling anxious.

“Don’t be afraid to talk,” she said.

“This weather will stop but people should make preparations so they can be self-sufficient in case of a natural disaster.”

While the rain had eased late on Tuesday, water levels would continue to rise for some time as large catchments drained, such as those feeding the Waiomio and Ōtiria Rivers.

With the Ōtiria spillway flood reduction scheme not yet complete, downstream towns such as Moerewa and Kawakawa could be at risk overnight, Stratford said.

A welfare centre was set up on Tuesday night at Moerewa Christian Centre, next to the BP service station on the town’s main road, in case anyone had to evacuate.

A police car warns motorists of flooding on Old Bay Rd, near Waimate North, where deep water and a strong current meant only four-wheel-drives could get across safely. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kerikeri-based counsellor Christine Macfarlane said the ongoing floods reminded her of Covid lockdowns, because they went on for so long people wondered if life would return to normal.

“We have this accumulated stress from the pandemic and on top of that we have these ongoing weather events. People are finding it overwhelming. We feel like we’ve lost control, like we did in the pandemic. It puts people in this place of reacting badly and being fearful.”

Like Stratford, Macfarlane said getting through was a matter of “focusing on the little things we can do, making sure people around us are safe, and connecting with people who are elderly or vulnerable”.

She also advised Northlanders to seek out soothing activities, remember that feeling anxious was normal, and have connections with others because that created a feeling of safety.

“Don’t put extra pressure on yourself and don’t get triggered by going online and repeatedly watching stuff about how bad it’s going to be. That’s not helpful.”

A ute churns through floodwaters at Old Bay Rd, near Waimate North. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Meanwhile, a MetService expert described the rainfall affecting parts of Northland yesterday as “astounding”.

Meteorologist Andrew James said Kaikohe recorded 104.8mm of rain in the 12 hours to 2pm, more than 40mm of which fell in a single hour to 11am.

Generally, anything over 6mm in an hour was regarded as heavy. Rainfall of 40mm was officially described as torrential.

In the same 12-hour period Whangārei recorded 78.6mm, Kerikeri 71.2mm, Cape Reinga 54.0mm and Dargaville just under 50mm.

Tuesday’s rain came on top of what had already been an exceptionally wet year, James said.

In just the first nine days of this month Kaikohe had recorded 360mm, well above the 138mm average for the entire month.

So far in 2023 the Mid North town had clocked up 1569.8mm — more than triple the long-term average of about 500mm for this time of year.

SH1 was closed on Tuesday both over the Brynderwyns and in Dome Valley due to slips and floods, while the light vehicle detour via Cove Rd was closed due to surface flooding. That once again left Paparoa-Oakeligh Rd the only route between Auckland and Northland.

SH10, the main route to Kaitāia now that SH1 through the Mangamukas is closed, was impassable at several points due to flooding, including at Kāeo and Kaingaroa.

As of 4pm more than 30 local roads were closed across the Far North, mostly in the wider Kaitāia area and Hokianga (see fndc.govt.nz/Whats-new/Latest-news/Weather-event-9-May for the full list).

Whangārei mayor and Northland Mayoral Forum chairman Vince Cocurullo said the closure of SH1 over the Brynderwyns, just nine days after reopening, was “highly disappointing for Northland” and highlighted yet again the need for decent government investment in the region’s roads.

It came just as 3000 people from around New Zealand were about to start heading north for the International Rally of Whangārei, he said.

Intense winds in Kerikeri around noon on Tuesday brought down trees like this mature Japanese cedar on Pā Rd. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The extreme weather triggered mutliple callouts for Northland volunteer fire brigades.

Kerikeri Fire Brigade was called out to help with a flooded basement on Te Ahu Ahu Rd and what was initially reported as a lightning strike on a tree off Inlet Rd.

Given the amount of debris and the lack of signs of lightning, the treetop’s removal was more likely to have been caused by a whirlwind, fire chief Les Wasson said.

Trees were also brought down on nearby Pā Rd.

James, however, offered some good news for a rain-weary region, saying Tuesday’s deluge was “the last hurrah” of a moist, humid northerly flow that had been plaguing Northland.

From today Northland would revert to more typical southwesterlies bringing lower temperatures, wind and scattered showers.

By Friday or Saturday the rain would have cleared out with Northlanders able to look forward to a dry weekend and a badly needed chance to dry out.