Torrential rains bring flooding and misery

Heavy rainfall in the lower North Island has left homes flooded, travellers delayed and a seriously ill tramper facing another night in the Tararua Ranges.

A search began in the Tararuas after Louise Wilkinson, 49, sent a text message to her brother saying she had hypothermia and needed help.

She was located by search teams yesterday afternoon but low cloud made it impossible for a helicopter to evacuate her.

Weather permitting, an Air Force Iroquois helicopter will today attempt to airlift Ms Wilkinson from the ranges, a Defence Force spokeswoman said.

Wellington search and rescue adviser Laurie Gallagher said Ms Wilkinson had been stabilised and had rescue teams with her.

Another helicopter had been on standby yesterday in case a brief lift in the cloud made an evacuation possible, he said.

If she was unable to be airlifted out, a team of 20 rescuers would carry her out by stretcher tomorrow.

The site where Ms Wilkinson remains camped was "wild and exposed", Mr Gallagher said.

"It's not pleasant. It's blowing a gale and freezing cold and misty.

"She's stable, she's got good food and warmth - but probably not as warm as she'd like to be."

Heavy rainfall in the ranges caused the Waikanae River to burst its banks yesterday, with water sweeping through about 20 houses at Otaihanga, north of Paraparaumu.

Some families sheltered on the second floors of their homes and others were moved by boat.

A Kapiti District Council spokesman said the water surged through homes at about 3am but receded fairly quickly, allowing residents to return to their waterlogged homes.

"It's a matter of clean-up now," the spokesman said.

Insurance assessors and building inspectors have visited the properties.

About 700 people also had to be evacuated to higher ground at the Waikanae Christian Holiday Park, known as El Rancho.

Greater Wellington Council flood protection engineer Phil Purves said the river flooded at levels expected once every 100 years and was its largest since records began in 1975.

A total of 124mm of rain fell in the 12 hours to 6am yesterday in the headwaters of the Waikanae River, at the top of the Akatarawa Hill Road, with 74mm of that in three hours.

The Otaki River experienced about a "40-year flood", with 230mm of rain in the 12 hours to 6am, including 100mm in three hours, but there appeared to have been little damage.

The Hutt River recorded a flood similar to the October 1998 deluge.

There was some flooding of houses at Hathaway Ave in Lower Hutt and several road closures.

The Akatarawa River, north of Upper Hutt, flooded at levels expected once every 50 years.

Akatarawa Rd, between Waikanae and Upper Hutt, was likely to remain closed for up to a week.

Motorists travelling to and from Wellington on State Highway 1 faced delays of up to three hours due to flooding between Paekakariki and Waterfall Rd on the Kapiti Coast.

Further north, Horizons Regional Council staff were monitoring water levels in the Manawatu-Wanganui region's waterways after 24 hours of persistent rainfall.

A total of 190mm of rain fell in the Upper Mangahao River at Ballance, 11km northwest of Pahiatua, and 160mm at Karariki, 15km northwest of Eketahuna.

Floodgates were expected to be opened to relieve flood flows on the Manawatu River.

About 300 scouts at the national jamboree in Feilding spent last night sleeping in stock pens, exhibition halls and the grandstand at Manfeild Park after heavy rain left many parts of the grounds waterlogged.

Emergency services were kept busy with surface flooding around the lower North Island.

A truck driver was rescued from his vehicle when it plunged under the Nikau Road bridge near Makomako, east of Pahiatua.

In the south 19 campers along the Anatori River on Golden Bay's west coast were evacuated after floods threatened their campsite.

- NZPA