Weather: Red and orange rain warnings for Auckland, Northland, Bay of Plenty, Coromandel - heavy rain, floods, landslips latest coverage; Authorities urge ‘very vulnerable’ city to prepare for second big deluge
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Officials give 4pm update on Auckland floods. Video / NZ Herald
Officials have tonight updated the timings of red heavy rain warnings for parts of Auckland, Coromandel and Northland from tomorrow, and all Auckland schools and early learning centres have been instructed to close until next Tuesday.
A red warning means rain is expected to cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities.
The red warning is now in place for Auckland north of Orewa from 4pm tomorrow to 7am Wednesday; for Northland from 3am tomorrow to 6am Wednesday and for the Coromandel from 7pm tomorrow to 4pm Wednesday. An orange warning is in place for the rest of Auckland from 6pm tomorrow to 9am Wednesday and for Bay of Plenty from 3am Wednesday to 3am Thursday.
Public health warnings have been placed in the massive lake that has formed in the Auckland Domain. Photo / NZME
At a briefing this afternoon, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said the coming days could be worse than what Aucklanders have already endured. “The ground is so saturated, that if anything [coming rain] could be worse than Friday.”
Brown said he had asked authorities to consider advising schools and businesses to stay closed tomorrow. “Stay home, stay safe, and stay away from areas which might slip. And stay away from floodwaters. Follow instructions of emergency authorities,” he said. The Ministry of Education later confirmed it was instructing schools and early learning centres to close until next Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the lake that has formed in Auckland Domain has now been ruled off-limits by public health officials. Signs have been erected this evening around the massive lake that formed after Friday’s downpour, warning people that the lake is unsafe for swimming and other water activities.
Motorists in many regions are being urged to drive with care today, while people in flood-hit Auckland are being warned to keep away from contaminated beaches, as the upper North Island braces for the next major deluge tomorrow. In the Far North, there are already reports of flooding on one of Kaitāia’s main streets.
A Far North District Council spokesperson said she understood Commerce Street has been inundated.
Far North Kahika (Mayor) Moko Tepania said the council was working with Civil Defence Northland to keep residents updated and ensure the region was prepared should anyone need assistance.
“Civil Defence Northland is active right now and is on standby monitoring the situation should they need to kick into action,” Tepania said.
A heavy rain warning was also likely to be issued for Coromandel, where the NZ Transport Agency is urging people not to travel unless necessary.
A significant portion of the peninsula was already affected by flooding and slips, in what the agency described as a “hazardous and evolving situation”.
While contractors had been able to clear a slip on SH25 at Ruamahanga Bay this morning, the highway remained closed between Coromandel and Whitianga due to multiple slips on Whangapoua Hill.
The road was open south of Whitianga, but motorists were asked to proceed with caution.
State Highway 25A, meanwhile, was closed “for the foreseeable future” due to a major collapse, while other local arterial roads through the peninsula were also closed.
Today, meanwhile, drivers across the lower North Island – where weather warnings remain in place for Wairarapa, Nelson and Tasman – were being urged to travel carefully.
A severe thunderstorm watch was also in place for Manawatu, Tararua, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Nelson, Buller, Canterbury Plains, and the Canterbury High Country between 1 pm and 9 pm today.
Large Tree Down on Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay. Photo / Hayden Woodward
These thunderstorms may be severe, with sudden intense rain bursts and hail.
Heavy rain watches are also in force for northwest Tasman, the Richmond and Bryant ranges, the Rai Valley area and the Marlborough Sounds.
“This means there is an increased risk of localised flooding, slips, rock and treefalls across the state highway networks in these regions,” a Waka Kotahi advisory said.
“Road users should drive to the conditions, use their headlights if visibility is poor, watch their speed and following distances, and be prepared for hazards.
“With the bad weather forecast to continue, drivers should check road conditions and weather alerts before they travel.”
Slip on Paturoa Road in Titiarangi with traffic down to one lane after days of heavy rain across the Auckland region. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Auckland Airport was also continuing to face delays and cancellations, which was impacting passengers already waiting in the terminal.
“We have passengers that have been in the terminal for a wee while waiting for their outbound flight,” Auckland Emergency Management deputy controller Rachel Kelleher said.
On the emergency alert that landed on many Aucklanders phones last night, Kelleher said it was one tool being used to prepare people for the incoming storm.
“We may not use the emergency management alert system because we have plenty of lead in time to warn people,” Kelleher said.
“There is some debris that washed down to our coastal areas, so care should be taken if you’re out on boats in the water at the moment as well.”
“Even shallow floodwaters present a risk,” Kelleher said.
Auckland Transport has “had to tow several hundreds of vehicles that have been damaged by floodwater over the last few days,” spokesperson Andrew Allen said.
One forecaster warns the new rounds of rainfall tomorrow could bring 100mm to 200mm to parts of Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel in coming days.
MetService has issued Orange heavy rain warnings for Northland from 24 hours from 4am tomorrow, and for Auckland for 12 hours from 6pm tomorrow night.
The rain-maker could bring Northland 100mm to 140mm of rain in the north and east tomorrow, with some areas possibly receiving as much 140mm to 220mm.
At their hardest, the downpours could reach peak rates of 10mm to 20mm an hour in the northeast of the region – including localised rain hitting volumes as high as 40mm or more per hour – with thunderstorms possible.
After the system moved southward later tomorrow, totals of 60mm and 80mm could drop over the Auckland region during the night and early morning, with local downpours potentially bringing 80mm to 120mm.
Peak rates were forecast to reach up 20mm per hour, while some isolated spots – especially in the north – could see up to 40mm hour.
While less rain was likely about and south of the city, amounts could still exceed “warning” limits in some places, MetService reported.
Again⁉️
Another atmospheric river is poised to bring more widespread rain, likely heavy, along with strong winds to the upper North Island.
Current timing suggests late Monday into early Wednesday. Details likely to evolve between now & then.
The latest rainfall comes as one of Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s own staff have reportedly revealed their concerns about the city’s emergency response.
Fire and Emergency NZ said they had about 30 weather-related calls overnight, for flooding, slips and several rescues - including to Titirangi, where a car and carport collapsed down a hill and on to a property.
Five people were evacuated as a result of various callouts and more rain is falling in Auckland this morning amid the potential for a second “atmospheric river” sweeping into the upper North Island from Tuesday.
At an emergency briefing at 8am, it was announced that 40 Auckland homes have now been red-stickered and 151 have been yellow-stickered.
Red stickers mean an inspector has assessed a property as unsafe to enter. Yellow stickers can restrict access to certain parts of a building, or only to enter for a short time to remove valuables.
The latest bleak forecast comes as one of Wayne Brown’s own staff has conceded “we’re doing a terrible job” in the emergency response, following widespread flooding, the deaths of four people, and the damage to thousands of homes - including at least 30 that have been red-stickered.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE If you have been directly affected by the Auckland floods and you are on a benefit or low income, call Work and Income on 0800 400 100 and visit https://t.co/gxraZlXCFH for more information.
— Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) (@AucklandCDEM) January 28, 2023
Worker clear a slip on West End Rd in Auckland's Herne Bay, in the wake of Friday's floods. Photo / Alex Burton
The comment to a Stuff reporter before a mayoral press conference yesterday follows widespread scrutiny of Brown’s performance.
Later the staff member reportedly said that communications were “coming from a lot of different agencies” in a fast-moving and complex situation. Feedback was being taken seriously, they said, and “we will make every effort to fix it”.
Community advocate and former boxing champ Dave Letele has this morning called on Brown to resign.
“You can’t keep blaming advisors. At the end of the day, you’re the leader. You set the tone,” he told TVNZ.
“I think he’s out of his depth. This was his opportunity to really stand up and deliver. He just hasn’t. I’d go as far as saying he needs to resign over this. It’s just been a total, absolute disgrace and you can’t blame advisors because you’re the leader.”
This landslip damaged several homes in Tauranga's Egret Ave. Photo / Cameron Avery
Meteorologist Georgina Griffiths has urged Aucklanders to use clearer conditions later today to assess damage and clear gutters and drains - and to get prepared.
Auckland’s wettest day in history had left the region in a state of emergency, and saturated to the point that further rain could cause more havoc.
“We are very vulnerable in the region at the moment to any rainfall,” Griffiths said.
