All Northland highways - with the exception of SH1 over the Mangamukas, which has been closed since last August - had reopened by Wednesday morning, though some, such as SH11 at Taumarere, pictured, were still affected by surface flooding. Photo / Peter de Graaf
All Northland highways - with the exception of SH1 over the Mangamukas, which has been closed since last August - had reopened by Wednesday morning, though some, such as SH11 at Taumarere, pictured, were still affected by surface flooding. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The extreme rainfall that doubly cut off the Far North from the rest of New Zealand highlights once again just how vulnerable the district’s roads are, a Civil Defence leader says.
Far North Deputy Mayor Kelly Stratford, who also chairs the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Committee, said during Tuesday’s deluge Te Hiku (the top of the Far North) was cut off by flooding on State Highway 10, adding to the long-term closure of SH1 over the Mangamukas and flooding on the alternative route via Broadwood.
Northland was also cut off from the rest of New Zealand by the closure of SH1 over the Brynderwyns and through Dome Valley.
Stratford said her message was always that Northlanders needed to be self-sufficient and prepared for emergencies, but Tuesday’s events showed yet again why road resilience had to be the council’s and Government’s top priority.
She was hoping to see some funding to that end in next week’s Budget.
By Wednesday morning all state highways had reopened across Northland, including SH1 over the Brynderwyns. SH11 at Taumarere, between Kawakawa and Ōpua, was still affected by flooding but passable.
The Far North was the worst-affected district in terms of local road closures with 10 roads still closed as of Wednesday afternoon, down from 27 that morning.
Most closures were due to flooding but slips had shut Pipiwai Rd and washed-out bridge approaches had made Cumber Rd, Kaikohe, and Waikuku Rd, Waimate North, impassable.
Stratford said her greatest concern on Tuesday night was for residents of Moerewa and Ōtiria.
A welfare centre was set up at Moerewa Christian Fellowship on the town’s main street but thankfully the floodwaters stopped rising just in time, then quickly dissipated.
Police, Civil Defence and firefighters visited about 15 at-risk households in Moerewa and Ōtiria but none opted to use the welfare centre.
Some garages and sleepouts were inundated but no flooding of homes was reported.
Aerial view of one of the slips that originally blocked SH1 over the Brynderwyns in February. Photo / Waka Kotahi
Stratford said a flood-mitigation project further upstream was still being built but the work completed so far may have reduced flood levels.
Ironically, a day after the torrential rainfall, residents of several Far North towns were asked to urgently reduce water use.
Paihia’s water plant, just upstream from Haruru Falls, was damaged after storm debris blocked the Waitangi River intake, causing water levels in the reservoir supplying Paihia, Waitangi and Ōpua to drop sharply.
There were similar issues in Kaitāia, where the Awanui River, the treatment plant’s main water source, was choked by silt and debris.
A water shortage in Ōpononi and Ōmāpere was caused by a major pipe leak which proved hard to find because the ground was so wet.
Residents in all three areas were urged to conserve water but the crisis was expected to have been resolved by this morning.
MetService expected more showers today but predicted that Northlanders could finally dry out properly this weekend.
According to the Northland Regional Council, the wettest place on Tuesday was Ōhaeawai with 134mm of rain in the 24 hours to 4pm.
That was followed by Kerikeri (125mm), Ngapipito (118mm) and Wilson’s Dam in Bream Bay (101mm).
Council-run Emergency Operation Centres were activated in Whangārei, Kaikohe and Mangawhai during the weather event, along with a regional co-ordination centre in Whangārei. All four have now been stood down.
