Warning for boaties after BOP flooding

Heavy rain throughout the weekend caused flooding in the Whakatane area. Photo / Christine Cornege

Boaties in Whakatane in the eastern Bay of Plenty are being urged to stay away from the sea as the area recovers from the aftermath of a weather thrashing over the weekend.

The Bay of Plenty regional council, Environment Bay of Plenty, said Whakatane Harbour had been badly damaged by the flooding.

The Whakatane boat ramp remained closed today, marker buoys in the harbour were missing and the bar was unworkable.

Harbour master Brian Spake said after the flooding no one knew where the sand was lying on the bar or what depth of water was available.

Flooding usually scoured out the bar down to bedrock and to a depth of about four and a half metres at high tide.

"Depth won't be a problem. What normally happens after an event like this is a temporary bar forms to the seaward of the entrance and over a period of a few days that will migrate to the west. That is happening now."

Mr Spake said with a forecast of 30-knot northwest winds tomorrow it was doubtful the bar would reopen until later this week.

He said flooding also damaged marker buoys and lights in the Whakatane River channel.

Debris was still moving down the river system and Mr Spake said boaties should be extremely cautious.

Only one commercial boat was operating out of the area today but Mr Spake said it could be the end of the week before silt and mud was cleaned off the boat ramp and it reopened.

He said because lights on the marker beacons had been washed off or damaged, night navigation was hazardous.

More rain was expected over the next two or three days.

- NZPA