Some parts of the Coromandel Peninsula remain isolated and partially inundated after heavy rain ravaged the region’s eastern coastline.
Thames-Coromandel Deputy Mayor John Grant says the district council will speak with the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) about how it can improve resilience in the Coromandel’s roading network, as contractors work to reopen key access routes as quickly as possible.
“One fireman that I spoke to this morning said it’s the worst he’s seen in 30 years, and exceeded what they had seen in [Cyclone] Gabrielle,” he told the Herald.
Several roads remain closed due to flooding and slips, and some towns and settlements along the eastern seaboard remain without access.
State Highway 25A, which traverses the peninsula from west to east, has been closed since early today by slips, although it’s expected to reopen this afternoon.
SH25, which circumscribes the peninsula, is also closed at several points between Waihī and Coromandel town.
Access to Whangamatā is expected to be restored later today if slips on the road to Hikuai are cleared in time, Grant said, while the road through to Tairua reopened this morning after being fully submerged yesterday.
North of Tairua, SH25 through to Whitianga and Coromandel town has recently reopened.
“Hot Water Beach, Hāhei and Cooks Beach are still closed off, but they’re very localised issues and they have people working on those,” Grant said.
“I’d be reasonably optimistic that access in and out of those places – even though it might just be one lane – should be available sometime in the near future.”
In Tairua, access is slowly being restored, but slips have left scars in the town’s hilly landscape.
A resident on Mt Paku’s Motuhoa Rd said they were half asleep when the slip happened and emptied the water reservoir.
She said she heard a knock on the door that she thought was the police, but was being asked to evacuate.
Thames-Coromandel District councillor and Mt Paku resident Alison Smith said the water reservoir had ruptured, and a water tanker was on the way to provide water.
She credited locals for helping people during last night’s heavy rain.
“The community is really resilient,” Smith said.
On Gallagher Drive, Eve Roper had been out with her sons helping people with sandbags this morning when they returned home to find a slip at her property.
A digger could be seen working at the site this morning to clear debris.
Tairua Surf Life Saving supervisor Gabrielle said seawater around the Coromandel is brown, unsafe and gross.
All beaches in the region are closed, and swimmers are advised that debris can cause problems due to poor visibility from the surface.
Despite the damage left behind, Grant said the Coromandel is a “very resilient place” that will be able to rebound.
“The frustrating thing I think that we have is the frequency of some of the issues at places that could be improved,” he said.
“We’ll be talking no doubt with NZTA about trying to get some more resilience into the network to avoid these closures with weather events.”
Grant acknowledged there’ll be people planning travel to and from the Coromandel this weekend, and encouraged them to keep an eye on the Thames-Coromandel District Council’s Facebook page and website for important updates.
“If the issues have been resolved, come on through.”
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