Flooding on Sam Clarke's farm in Huakai. Photo: Supplied
Flooding on Sam Clarke's farm in Huakai. Photo: Supplied
Flooding in the Coromandel Peninsula eased overnight but several roads remain closed and farms are still under water.
The region took a battering yesterday, with floods cutting off the settlement of Hikuai near Pauanui and forcing stranded travellers to escape in a Surf Life Saving rescue boat.
MetService said theregion got 410mm of rain in 24 hours.
Sections of State Highway 25 remain closed by slips and flooding.
"Being a prolonged storm - it started raining on Tuesday - this one has dealt us quite a blow."
A blocked road in the Coromandel. Photo: Thames Coromandel District Council
Eight roads are still closed - three on the state highway network, and five local roads.
"The eastern seaboard on the Coromandel, from Pauanui, Hikuai to Whitianga, is closed. It will probably be closed for a good few hours," he told Morning Report.
Tairua and Whangamatā also bore the brunt of the storm.
"There's a major slip on the Kopu Hikuai road - that's also closed at present. Pretty much 50 per cent of the Coromandel is inaccessible at the moment. Hopefully, the roads will start to clear by midday."
He said travellers to and from the Coromandel could still use the Thames Coast road, which was clear.
"But there are slips everywhere ... all the roads have got some slips, trees down.
"The worst of the weather has cleared."
Some Highways in the Coromandel area remain CLOSED, following bad weather yesterday. Please continue to drive to the conditions and watch out for surface flooding, slips and fallen trees. Closure info here: https://t.co/QjsXOEpezf. pic.twitter.com/7Mu5UerDje
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) July 16, 2020
The weather warning remained, but they were expecting some rain today.
He said there was good warning and they managed to get the stock to safety.
"There's been a few slips on the hills, the biggest worry is silt damage and fences from those big logs. It's going to be a bit of a mess."
At the moment, 50 per cent of the farm is underwater, but in the height of the flood it was about 70 per cent. He said in the deepest party the water was about three or four metres.
Further north
This morning north of Whangārei has also seen heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms. There is a severe thunderstorm watch in place.
MetService said there was a chance of surface flooding and driving conditions could become hazardous due to low visibility.
⚠Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Northland north of Whangārei is in place. There is a risk that heavy rain may become slow moving over localised places producing downpours. ❗ Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in place. Details at https://t.co/GeH6tLLohf ^Tahlia pic.twitter.com/zLAsdrFsBT
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Kerikeri area. Downpours have brought around 70mm to the airport in the last few hours, with more to come in the next two or three hours. https://t.co/iUZXxAHB40 ^TA pic.twitter.com/q5YY6KunJo
Motorists travelling near Cromwell can expect delays of up to 30 minutes due to a slip sitting above the main road into town.
Flooding on Sam Clarke's farm in Huakai. Photo: Supplied
State Highway 8 remains open to only one lane of traffic at Deadman's Point under stop-go traffic management as the Transport Agency continues to stabilise the slip.
The agency has not ruled out closing the road depending on the slip's behaviour and falling material.
