Alfie's Plant Barn manager Josh Le Bas in the business' flooded carpark after heavy rain. Photo / Jack Riddell
Alfie's Plant Barn manager Josh Le Bas in the business' flooded carpark after heavy rain. Photo / Jack Riddell
A Hastings business owner arrived at work this morning to find his carpark submerged under a small lake or a large puddle – depending on how you look at it.
Josh Le Bas, the manager at Alfie’s Plant Barn on Pākōwhai Rd, arrived at work this morning to find hisentrance to work was blocked by a body of water.
“I didn’t even bring my gummies in this morning, so it was an eventful trip over the water,” he said.
“Nearly bought a kayak.”
This was only the second time Le Bas had seen the carpark flooded, with the first being Cyclone Gabrielle.
To celebrate the business’ temporary water reservoir, they are taking 20% off water features in store and are set to welcome a fresh delivery of water plants this afternoon.
Fortunately, no water made it into the store and the carpark was draining away slowly.
Alfie's Plant Barn manager Josh Le Bas in the business' flooded carpark after heavy rain.
Wairoa River bar new opening a success
Heavy rain lashed Hawke’s Bay throughout Wednesday and on Thursday morning.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council had some concerns that high tide on Thursday morning could result in flooding in low-lying areas around Ngāmotu Rd and Kōpū Rd in Wairoa.
Fortunately, a new opening cut into the Wairoa River bar successfully held and was flowing well on Thursday morning, providing relief for residents in the township.
Pryde Contracting cut that new opening on Wednesday to the east of the existing river mouth. That essentially made a more direct route for the river to flow out to sea.
The new cut on the Wairoa River bar flowing out to sea on Thursday morning. Photo / Pryde Contracting
Kōpū Rd resident Linda Hawkins said the river was flowing fast but was well below the road level at high tide on Thursday morning, which was good to see.
“It is nowhere near [the road].”
Her home was one of many in the area which flooded during the Wairoa 2024 floods, which led to heavy criticism about the management of the Wairoa River bar.
A lowered crest is now maintained on the Wairoa River bar, meaning there is a shorter lead-in time required to open the bar in an ideal location.
A MetService orange heavy rainfall warning was initially in place until 10am on Thursday, but was lifted a few hours early for the region.
Other regions further north were much harder hit by the heavy rainfall, including Bay of Plenty and northern parts of Tairāwhiti.
‘Please reduce wastewater use’
Hastings District Council was asking residents to reduce toilet use this morning.
Te Awa o Mokotūāraro, formerly known as Clive River, burst its banks and flooded the play and rest area between the river and the stop bank on Thursday morning, near the Clive Bridge. Photo / Helen Thomsen
“Heavy rain has put pressure on our wastewater network and is causing capacity issues at the East Clive Wastewater Treatment Plant,” a council post read.
“We’re asking everyone to minimise wastewater use today where possible including: reducing toilet flushing, delaying washing machine and dishwasher use, taking shorter showers [and] avoiding unnecessary water use.
“We expect conditions to improve later this afternoon.”
That council closed some flood-prone reserves ahead of the heaviest rainfall, which included the likes of the Evers-Swindell Reserve in Clive which was underwater on Thursday morning.
Surface flooding in Mahia
Wairoa District Council was asking motorists not to travel along Kaiwaitau Rd in Mahia on Thursday morning.
Surface flooding on Kaiwaitau Rd in Mahia on Thursday morning, next to Maungawhio Lagoon. Photo / Shelly Rogers
“The river is elevated, surface flooding is present [on that road], and there is a tree down on the road,” a council post read.
“Motorists are urged to steer clear of Kaiwaitau Rd until conditions improve and it is safe to travel.”
Most of the rain in Hawke’s Bay had stopped by 9am on Thursday, according to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council on-line data from stations throughout the region.
Many areas had recorded more than 100mm in the last 48 hours, including Wairoa and Napier, with 200mm-plus in the last week at some stations in Te Urewera and the Kaweka ranges, and at Kotemaori, State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa, and Te Pohue, on State Highway 5 northeast of Napier.
As the rain disappeared, the temperatures in Hawke’s Bay were the highest in the country, Napier recording 26.9C about 1.30pm, with a forecast of reaching 29C later in the day.
