Residents have woken to numerous downed trees, closed roads, and flooding in Wellington. Video / Melissa Nightingale, Billie Paine
Wild weather is continuing to batter the North Island today, with dramatic images capturing the devastation across districts that remain in a state of emergency.
Heavy rainfall and high winds swept through much of the upper parts of the country over the weekend, leaving a trail of damage and destructionand killing one.
Lower Hutt motorists are being warned to stay off the road as slips and flooding are blocking areas of State Highway 2. Photo / NZTA
The town is in a local state of emergency as the severe weather continues today, as are Waipā, Tararua, Rangitīkei and Manawatū.
Red heavy rain warnings were initially in place for the Manawatū, Rangitīkei and Ruapehu districts but have since been downgraded to an orange warning.
Fallen trees are posing a risk to people in the Wairarapa region, including Waikanae resident Andy Wray. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Wellington and wider Wairarapa region have been hit especially hard by heavy wind gusts, with police advising motorists to stay off the roads as the risk of surface flooding increases.
Wellington Region Emergency Management earlier described conditions as “wet, windy and wild out there” and people should stay indoors if possible.
A large tree has fallen onto several parked vehicles in the Wellington suburb of Thorndon. Photo / Sammy Carter
Several homes in Masterton have been evacuated as high winds threaten to fell unstable trees.
Lower Hutt residents near the Waiwhetu Stream have been asked toevacuate the area.
Flooding has begun in Lower Hutt, with waterways expected to rise as the heavy rain continues. Photo / Billy Paine
All flights in and out of Wellington, Napier and Palmerston North have been paused, and trains throughout the region have been cancelled.
More than 19,000 properties across the lower North Island are without power and many shops and schools have closed.
Powerlines in Stokes Valley have trapped firefighters in a car. Photo / Melissa Nightingale
Rising waters were expected in Manawatū and Whanganui, while a number of roads were closed by toppled trees. It included SH1 between Hunterville and Taihape and north of Foxton, SH3 from SH4 to Whangaehu and SH54 from SH1 to Cheltenham.
Residents in coastal communities on the North Island’s east coast had to evacuate overnight after floodwaters threatened homes and campgrounds.
Porirua man Steve Askew discovered the ceiling of his restaurant had totally collapsed this morning. Photo / Steve Askew
While warnings have been lifted in Hawke’s Bay and Napier, the South Island isn’t in the clear as the rain heads down the country.
Orange rain warnings are in place for the Kaikōura District and Canterbury north, with 70mm to 110mm of rain expected until 9pm.
Banks Peninsula is also under a 34-hour rain watch, until 6pm tomorrow.
