Raglan saturated as wind-whipped tides lap at doors

By Philippa Stevenson

RAGLAN - Locals were able to fish off their decks in Raglan over the weekend - from their houses, not their boats - as a combination of tides, wind and atmospheric pressure caused waves to breach sea walls.

Stan and Sue Kite, of low-lying Lorenzen Bay Rd, weathered four high tides that inundated a sleepout and garage, and carried off timber stockpiled for renovations to their home of 18 months.

"Apparently [the timber] is all sitting out on Ocean Beach," Mr Kite said yesterday water rushed over his sea wall and across his lawn.

The worst tide about 10.30 am on Saturday came too quickly for the Kites to rescue many possessions.

The water, which spread under neighbours' houses and lapped their steps, flooded 13-year-old Dylan Kite's outside room, ruining the carpet, his computer, video and school books.

Mr Kite said the carpet smelled rancid and he was concerned about sewage washed from pipes across his lawn.

Next door, Stan Francis agreed with other locals that the tides were the worst in about 40 years.

The bach he has owned for 12 years is 32 years old and, until the weekend, its original carpet had been untouched by flood.

On Saturday, Mr Francis watched a neighbour cast a fishing line from the deck of his house onto his front lawn, and yesterday when the seas returned he thought he might do the same.

"I might spear the odd flounder," he said.

"I certainly won't have to mow the lawn for a while."

Electricity was cut to Lorenzen Bay for about 12 hours on Saturday after water blew fuses in the underground network.

A power pole was blown down in Manukau Rd and the floods also damaged tarseal on Puriri St.

The footbridge across the estuary from the town to the camping ground was rendered useless when the camp went under water, and Wainui Rd was also closed for some of the day.

Constable Kevin Holmes said the floods were caused by high tides that were raised further by low atmospheric pressure.

Waves were whipped up by winds gusting to 70 knots.

Outside the harbour, swells were 4m to 5m high, he said.

No lives were threatened by the floods but there had been concern while power lines were arcing underground, Constable Holmes said.

In Hamilton, early morning storms left much of the city without power on Saturday and sent trees crashing onto houses.

Power was cut to West Hamilton and roads became slippery as a cold front made its way through the Waikato.

Just after 8 am power was cut to hundreds of houses in the suburbs of Nawton and Dinsdale when lightning struck a power feeder.