Soaked

Tropical cyclone Wilma has left a trail of destruction across Northland that will cost millions - and take months - to clean up.
The flooding destroyed homes, ruined roads, damaged businesses and cut every highway in Northland at least once, stranding travellers, separating families and halting essential deliveries.
Although river levels in most areas were receding yesterday, Civil Defence had concerns for a number of homes at Moerewa where flood waters were still rising.
Last night Kawakawa firefighters were still pumping out homes on Plunket St, Moerewa, as a wall of water dumped by Wilma on Friday night converged on the Mid North town as it drained towards the sea.
About 100 homes have been affected by floodwaters in the Far North and homeowners have been invited to a recovery centre today to seek financial help. Sewage flushed into waterways has also prompted a health advisory for people to avoid rivers and coastal areas and to not collect shellfish for two days.
About 280mm of torrential rain fell in the eastern hill country of Northland over 12-14 hours from 1pm on Friday causing slips and serious damage to the region's road network.
Some water and sewage treatment plants were knocked out of action and power was cut to some areas.
Worst hit in the Far North were Towai, Paihia, Kawakawa, Moerewa and Kaeo. Residents and tourists were evacuated and emergency services were overrun with callouts and requests for help. There were no deaths in Northland as a result of the flooding.
Today, those dealing with the storm's aftermath have shifted their focus from "response" to "recovery" mode as river levels drop.
Northland Regional Council spokesman Tony Phipps said the damage caused by the cyclone was comparable - if not worse - than the massive floods that struck Northland in 2007.
"One thing about this event was that the high rainfall covered such a large area, stretching from Mangawhai in the south to Kaitaia."
By yesterday afternoon all major roads were at least partially open, although there was still water across SH1 at Three Bridges, Kawakawa. The other highways last to reopen yesterday were SH1 at the bottom of Turntable Hill, Moerewa, and SH11 at Taumarere, northeast of Kawakawa.
Contractors were still busy clearing slips on SH11 between Puketona and Kawakawa but traffic was able to pass.
Also yesterday, officials declared the Awanui and Kaeo Rivers were no longer a threat to residents with levels dropping about three metres, but the high water levels continued in the Waiharakeke (Moerewa) and Kawakawa Rivers.
"Vast areas of low-lying flats in the Hikurangi Swamp, Lower Wairua River and Mangakahia River valleys remain flooded, as well as areas like Tangiteroria, Pukehuia, Kirikopiuni and west towards Dargaville," Mr Phipps said
Water levels in the Northern Wairoa River at Dargaville were still being monitored while other rivers around Whangarei and Kaipara had dropped back to normal levels, but it could be days before water recedes from farmland.
MetService forecaster Allister Gorman said the heaviest rainfall dropped by ex-tropical cyclone Wilma was felt in Towai, south of Kawakawa, with 278mm falling in less than 18 hours. The next worst hit was the Bay of Islands with 261mm and Kaeo with 220mm overnight.
"The Bay of Islands' MetService rain gauge recorded 32mm falling in just an hour, which is the highest reading nationwide during this event," Mr Gorman said.
Police were inundated with calls about slips, road closures, trees across roads and surface flooding.
Firefighters used a boat to rescue a man and woman stuck up trees in Pipiwai, 45km northwest of Whangarei, for more than three hours by rising flood waters.
Firefighters also attended an incident where a car went into a river in Wilson Road, Parakao, 40km west of Whangarei.
Other incidents included a rescue in Whakapara, 25km northwest of Whangarei, after a car became stuck in flood water. Three adults and a child roped themselves together and were rescued by firefighters.
On SH1 at Okaihau, 10km north of Kaikohe, two people were trapped and forced to cling to logs as floodwaters rose.
Firefighters used a dinghy to rescue the pair as water levels rose quickly.
At least six families were rescued from homes in Kawakawa and Moerewa, with Otiria and Kingi roads feeling the brunt of Wilma's floodwaters on Saturday night, more than 24 hours after the worst of the rain had fallen.
In some places, especially Waikare and Waiomio, floodwaters were so high on Saturday night, firefighters could not reach some residents who were pleading for help. All they could do was keep phoning to offer advice and check they were safe.
The wharenui at Otiria Marae, one of the few fully carved meeting houses in Northland, only just escaped unscathed, though floodwaters raged through the rest of the marae complex.
Residents who had lived their entire lives in Moerewa said they had never before seen Otiria Rd become a river.
On Friday night an airport shuttle driver who was clinging to the side of his van after floodwaters swept it off the road at Three Bridges, Kawakawa, was rescued by firefighters who managed to get a police four-wheel-drive alongside him and pull him in through a window.