The massive amount of rainfall which has battered the East Coast has turned some farm paddocks into virtual lakes. Photo / Neil Reid
A person was swept away by a swollen river and several road crew members are "lucky" to be alive after floodwaters ravaged parts of the East Coast earlier today.
The town of Tokomaru Bay – 89km northeast of Gisborne – and its surrounds have been the worst hit after rainfall of up to 230mm in just a six-hour period hit the area.
The weather event has seen the Tairāwhiti Civil Defence declare a State of Emergency, with some describing conditions as the worst since Cyclone Bola in 1988.
And more damaging rain – potentially up to 200mm - is forecast for tonight.
There have been no reports of serious injury, but Officer in Charge of the Tolaga Bay Fire Stations, Andrew Shelton, said two incidents could have turned tragic.
"Our first callout was at 1.55am to assist with a job in Tokomaru Bay after a person was swept into the river," he told the Herald.
"We were unable to get to the job due to floodwaters and washouts. We then had to deviate back due to slips.
"The person was found alive and well."
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About four hours later the Tolaga Bay fire crews were involved in a dramatic rescue of eight road crew workers trapped by the rising floodwaters.
Some of the workers were trapped in a digger.
Initially, a large truck was dispatched to help the group, but then they got caught out by rising water levels.
🌧 Heavy rain is heading back into the Gisborne region
— MetService (@MetService) March 23, 2022
⛈ Thunderstorms are also popping up around Auckland and Waikato
👀 Details on current severe weather here: https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5
❕ Whakatāne airport recorded 97.6mm in the 8 hours up to 3pm. March average total ~111mm pic.twitter.com/q8sF1FKGVK
Shelton described it as a "critical rescue".
"Two were airlifted out to safety after being trapped by the water," he said.
"Another six were pulled out by the Character Roofing Gisborne Surf Lifesaving search and rescue squad.
"They were all very lucky."
As well as some of the road crew, fire and surf rescue also completed about 10 rescues with inflatable rescue boats of residents in and around Tokomaru Bay.
Local emergency services were placed on standby at 10pm on Tuesday.
Large slips – featuring trees, rocks, mud and other debris – have come down over sections of SH35; the route that connects Gisborne to Ōpotiki via the East Coast.
Earlier today, Shelton joined local police and Civil Defence officials on a helicopter flight over the Tolaga Bay area to check on the condition of SH35 and other roads that lead off the highway.
He said locals were now bracing themselves for the potential impact of the next bout of heavy rain.
"Nerves are high," Shelton said. "But we have a good team here in Uawa.
"We have seen the immediate effects to the area after the earlier rain. And the community is a in safe position because we have been able to do a lot, including those who needed to be."
When asked for his message to those in areas most at risk of further raging floodwaters, Shelton said: "Evacuate early or prepare to ride out the storm. But if you are going to evacuate, make contact earlier rather than when it is too late.
"Stay off the roads if you can avoid it. And also, please check in on others, including those who are vulnerable."
Earlier, Emergency Management Minister and MP for the East Coast Kiri Allan said 150 people were evacuated overnight in the Tairāwhiti region.
The Hikuai River was also rising rapidly and was sitting at about 12m, she told RNZ.
Allan had spoken to the Gisborne mayor and told her the Government was ready to offer support as needed.
Tolaga Bay Area School principal and Deputy Civil Defence officer Nori Parata said the school was closed and had become the Civil Defence hub.
"The sheer torrential rain, thunder and lightning spectacle last night is like nothing I've ever experienced, certainly since Bola," she said. "The Civil Defence team had to quickly get into action through the night and evacuate families to higher ground."
"We evacuated seven people throughout the night. Some were already trapped and couldn't get out but were safe."
Gisborne District mayor Rehette Stoltz said everyone who was trapped by floodwaters earlier this morning had now been rescued.
"Everyone has been rescued, we're still ascertaining how many households – it's around 20–30 households that self-evacuated," she said.
"Access is a real issue, so we are at this stage just relying on our community links … but everyone that was stuck has now been freed."
Tokomaru Bay had been "cut in half" due to damage on the bridge and authorities were working to get supplies across to the other side.
There had been "a lot" of damage to properties in the Tokomaru Bay region, including some that had only recently been fixed up after flooding last June.
"Tokomaru Bay has a lot of damage, and it's water through homes, not just in the front yard."
"All the houses on Arthur St that flooded in June have flooded again."
"Those houses have just been fixed up … one of those whānau was living in a caravan while the house was fixed up and the caravan has now flooded away."