Schools closed in weather-hit Wairoa

The damage to land in Central Hawkes Bay has been described as 'huge'. Photo / NZPA

Schoolchildren in the northern Hawke's Bay town of Wairoa will be staying at home today after a landslip cut off the water supply to the area following last week's heavy rain.

Engineers were hoping to have a temporary water line running this afternoon and were also working on repairing the main line, Wairoa District Council spokeswoman Sonia Anderson told NZPA.

Water tankers would continue to supply households with water until the temporary line was established.

Schools, kindergartens and early childcare centres in the area would be closed until Wednesday at the earliest, as a precaution, Ms Anderson said.

A state of emergency remains in place in central Hawke's Bay and would be reviewed this morning after last week's storms shut off beachside towns and forced the evacuation of dozens of residents.

The extreme weather caused flooding and slips in the Hawke's Bay. Many homes and baches were damaged, and a slip lifted a historical buildings from its foundation.

Access to southern Hawke's Bay beaches Blackhead, Kairakau and Mangakuri was restricted to essential services and residents with permits only, while no access was available to Aramoana and the southern end of Pourerere Beach.

It was expected to take many weeks to reopen access to Aramoana, with road access to the southern end of Pourerere Beach closed indefinitely.

Police were patrolling the coastal communities.

About 65 people were evacuated from Aramoana, Kairakau and Mangakuri, though some residents chose to stay.

Two farm owners remained in Aramoana with a staff member each, but were in constant contact with Civil Defence and could get out by motorcycle if needed, Central Hawke's Bay Civil Defence emergency management officer Bruce Kitto told NZPA.

Civil defence yesterday began holding community meetings to inform residents about what was happening in their community, he said. There was another meeting scheduled for today.

The Earthquake Commission (EQC) had received 124 claims from the Hawke's Bay storm but that number was expected to grow significantly, EQC chief executive Ian Simpson said yesterday.

EQC covered landslip damage to buildings, with some cover for land damaged by storm or flood.

Meanwhile, WeatherWatch.co.nz was warning that the top half of the North Island was in for a rough night yesterday, with severe gales expected from Northland to eastern Waikato. Widespread rain was also falling.

- NZPA