Surface flooding on Fenton St this afternoon. Photo/Ben Fraser
Surface flooding on Fenton St this afternoon. Photo/Ben Fraser
5.20pm
MetService has issued another heavy rain warning for Bay of Plenty.
:A deep low, former Cyclone Donna, is currently over waters to the north of Bay of Plenty, and is expected to move away to the east tonight and Saturday morning. Heavy rain about Bay of Plenty and the ranges of Gisborne is expected to ease this evening. However, another 30 to 50mm is likely to fall this evening."
It said a strong southerly flow over the country in the wake of Cyclone Donna was bringing severe southerly gales gusting 130 km/h to Bay of Plenty east of Whakatane. These winds should begin to ease from tonight.
Power is out to a number of residents in Springfield and Tihiotonga. According to the Unison website 583 customers have been affected by the unplanned outage. Unison estimates the power will be back on by 5.30pm.
Contractors are working to clear a number of Rotorua roads affected by flooding, fallen trees, and slips as rain continues to fall in the district.
MetService forecasts heavy rain and the chance of downpours for Rotorua, which are due to clear tonight.
Tomorrow's Rotorua Cup Day at Arawa Park has been postponed.
"We'e had to postpone due to the weather," Racing Rotorua chief executive Damien Radesic said.
"Everything going to plan we'll be racing next Sunday."
Multiple events have been cancelled in recent weeks due to the weather and Mr Radesic said it was a tough time for racing.
For more information on the new event check http://arawapark.co.nz/.
Motorists are urged to take care on roads and are being advised of contractors working to clear the following routes:
Waikaukau Road - Flooding - Road closed Bryce Road - Tree Fall and slips - Opened to a single lane. Apirana Road - Flooding - Road closed (Atiamuri end). Whirinaki Valley Road - Flooding and slips - Road signage erected. Coates Road - Slips - Opened to single lane. Dunkirk Road - Slip - Opened to single lane. Barnard Road / Urquhart Place - Flooding - Road signage erected. Hodgkins Street / Hamon Place - Flooding - Road signage erected. Holdens Avenue - Flooding - Road signage erected. Poutakataka Road - Slips and tree falls - Opened up to a single lane. Fenton Street / Victoria Street - Flooding - Road signage erected. Settlers Road - Flooding - Road signage erected. Loop Road - Flooding - Road signage erected. Campbell Road - Flooding - Road signage erected. Fenton Street / Devon Street - Flooding - Road signage erected. Maleme Road - Slips - Opened up to a single lane. Luke Place - Flooding. Okareka Loop Road - Tree fell. Lynmore Avenue - Flooding. Hilton Road - Flooding. Trigg Avenue - Flooding. Tumunui Road - Slips - Opened up to one lane. Puaiti Road - Slip and scouring - Opened up to one lane. Te Kopia Road - Slips and tree falls - Opened up to one lane. Mangamingi Road - Slips - Opened up to one lane. Tutukau Road - minor slips - Opened up to one lane. Waikite Valley Road - small slips - Opened up to one lane. SH5 Cycleway - Slips - Road signage erected. Springfield Road / Otonga Road - flooding.
Contractors have completed work on the following routes:
Mangatete Road - Flooding. Kuirau Park - Tomo / Subsidence. Tarawera Road - Tree fall.
EARLIER:
Slips and flooding have been reported in and around Rotorua as rain continues to pound the region.
According to the Rotorua Lakes Council facebook page, contractors were attending surface flooding on Bryce Rd in Ngakuru and two slips on Coates Rd in Waikite Valley.
A tree has also fallen on Corbett Rd in Waikite Valley, and the Waiteti and Utuhina streams are reportedly running high.
There is surface flooding on Whirinaki Valley Rd, Fenton St and Devon St intersection, Fenton and Victoria St intersection, Campbell Rd, and State Highway 30 just before Apirana Rd.
There is a reported slip on Dunkirk Rd and two slips on Potakataka Rd as well as a tree down about 2km in.
All sports grounds in Rotorua are closed today and a call about further closures over the weekend will be made this afternoon and posted on the Rotorua Lakes Council Facebook page.
There is extensive flooding on State Highway 1 between Taupo and Turangi.
According to the Bay of Plenty and Taupo Police Facebook page contractors were currently on site and signage had been placed, but extreme caution was advised especially as it got darker.
A slip has blocked State Highway 2 in the Waimana Gorge in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and the road is closed.
A police statement said motorists should allow extra time to travel in this area and detours are in place via Whakatane And Ohope.
Tree down on Tarawera Rd. Photo/Stephen Parker
There is reportedly flooding west of Tokoroa on Whakamaru Rd near the intersection with Old Taupo and Maraetai Rd.
A police media spokeswoman said there was "quite a bit of flooding and police units were on their way."
She said signage was in place.
The South Waikato District Council facebook page said there was flooding on Rollett and Mossop Rd in Tokoroa.
Due to a large slip, SH2 Waimana Gorge is now CLOSED south of Taneatua. A detour is in place. Expect delays in area & take extra care. ^LC pic.twitter.com/7On4TPFArA
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) May 11, 2017
Rotorua Lakes Council's director of waste and transport solutions, Stavros Michael said staff were monitoring the weather.
"As a precautionary measure the city's wastewater treatment plant effluent ponds have been lowered and staff are carrying out checks of known manholes which are subject to overflowing during heavy rain."
Michael said essential staff were on standby as Rotorua was forecast to receive heavy bouts of rain. He advised motorists to drive to the conditions and encouraged residents to clear gutters and drains. "If it's not safe, call council so contractors can check and clear drains."
Weather-related issues can be reported on (07) 348 4199.
