Residents whose homes border the Ngongotahā Stream spent the weekend on edge, as the stream rose to peak levels amid heavy downpours.
Heavy rain fell in parts of the North Island, with slips, floods and widespread damage to homes across the Bay of Plenty, Coromandel, and Auckland, where a state of emergency was declared.
Four people lost their lives on Friday as Auckland and other parts of the North Island were hit with up to 241 millimetres of rain.
All severe weather warnings in the Bay of Plenty were lifted yesterday afternoon, but there was more rain on the horizon.
Late yesterday, a large-scale rescue operation was underway for at least 70 people who became trapped in the Te Urewera forest.
The NZ Herald understood the group, who had travelled to the Hanamahihi area in the forest, had become trapped following the intense rainfall that has shifted down the country in recent days.
Several videos had been posted on social media, showing people launching boats into a river to join the rescue effort. The videos showed the boats fighting hard against a strong current.
The MetService weather station at Rotorua Airport recorded 181mm of rain between Friday morning and early Sunday afternoon, with 184.9mm at the Tauranga Airport station.
MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said the totals were “very large numbers”, and rain warnings and watches across the Bay of Plenty had “eased for now”.
Hines said the forecast was for showers and cloudy conditions today and tomorrow.
“That doesn’t mean there will be no more rain in the coming days, but it doesn’t look like there’ll be too much more in the way of heavy rain as we start [this] week.”
There was a “notable risk” of further heavy rain again on Wednesday, likely lasting until Thursday before becoming clear for the end of the week, Hines said.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said the district received about 10 per cent of the rainfall it normally gets in a whole year overnight.
“This is very significant, and we expect river and stream levels to be affected, so nearby residents should remain alert.”
Rotorua Lakes Council would work with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to assess options for improving the flow capacity of steams in the district that cause flooding risks and limit the urban stormwater capacity.
Tapsell said residents should remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate if the need arises. Anyone who felt unsafe and wished to evacuate but needed assistance should call the council.
Ngongotahā residents had a nervous night on Saturday, and those who spoke to the Rotorua Daily Post were grateful the forecasted deluge which was supposed to hit at first light yesterday didn’t eventuate.
Lee-Ann Allerby, whose Western Rd property at the town centre end backs onto Ngongotahā Stream, said the waters were higher than they were on Saturday, and hoped the water would drop as it did on Saturday afternoon.
Further up the road, towards the Agrodome tourist attraction, the stream was threatening Jacky James’ property.
James’ home was only a few metres from the stream banks, and she said the stream was “far more dangerous” than its usually “placid” self.
“It is very high and it is moving extremely quickly — which is possibly why it hasn’t spilled out here.
“People will need to take good care around it, especially with dogs and children, because things will get swept away very quickly. I dread to think of the debris that’s flowing into the lake.”
Brooke Ellis said the backyard of her Ngongotahā property was like “a giant swimming pool” on Saturday.
“I’m fully underwater at the moment. It’s quite bad. In the last big flood, we got some really big issues with the landscaping in the reserve behind us. There are big holes which haven’t been fixed.”
She said in her view, water from those holes at the Ngongotahā Stream had run straight into her backyard.
“I’m trying to remain calm, but my husband is freaking out. Last time it was scarier because it happened at night. That time, it was pitch-black when the river breached its banks, and we were absolutely hammered.”
Ngāti Ngāraranui spokesman Guy Ngatai, of Ngongotahā, said the timing of wild weather was ironic — just two days after a public meeting where residents tried to express their concerns about flooding in the area relating to a new 350-home Government development.
The meeting, on Thursday night at the Ngongotahā Community Hall, saw 400 locals hear an update from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development about its plans to build affordable public and private homes at 31 Ngongotahā Rd.
The Government had previously rejected a housing plan on the former swampland, based on concerns that included flooding.
Some locals at the meeting weren’t convinced the hydraulic remodelling work carried out by Government-contracted engineers would be enough to ensure there would be no more flooding.
Ngatai said on Saturday the heavy rain was a sign.
“The gods have spoken ... this is what we have been talking about. Everything I said on Thursday manifested with this rain.”
Ngatai said Waiteti Marae had an annual general meeting on Saturday with 30 people, but the conversation was dominated by floods and housing issues.
He described the heavy rain as “frightening”.
Meanwhile, a freight train carrying up to 10 wagons of logs and pulp derailed near Te Puke yesterday morning after it travelled through a flooded section of track.
The train’s two crew members were not injured, a KiwiRail spokesperson said.
Local resident Tyson Smith did not hear the train derail, but saw what happened on Facebook and went out to take some photos.
He described the scene as “carnage”.
In Tauranga, a landslide crashed into homes on Egret Ave in the Tauranga suburb of Maungatapu about midnight on Saturday. Twenty-four homes have since been evacuated.
Egret Ave resident Luke Hanan described the frantic search for his five children after the mudslide folded his house in two.
Hanan was asleep alongside his partner Teresa Hodgson when they heard a rumble that sounded like an earthquake.
Hanan said the house ‘’snapped in half and then slid and sort of rolled over itself”.
“We were lucky to get out alive, it’s amazing, to be honest. It was a mission to find three of them [kids] and we dragged [them]out through the windows.
“We were smashing windows to try and get to the kids I couldn’t find three of them for five or so minutes. Today we are spaced out and still can’t get over what happened.
“We are still trying to get our head around what happens next.”
The children were “a bit shaken up and probably nervous about the next few days but I think eventually they will get over it.”
Other residents said they heard a massive rumble that sounded like thunder, then screams.
“It was very terrifying,” neighbour Hayley Vincent said.
”It was just awful, and we were trying to do what we could to help.
“How does anyone survive that?”
SH29 Lower Kaimai to Tauriko
Due to a large slip at near Ruahihi Rd, the highway is closed between Poripori Road and Tauriko.
A detour is available via Poripori Rd.
SH30 Tikitere to Rotomā
Due to multiple slips, SH30 is closed between SH33 and SH34.
A detour is available via SH2 and SH33.
SH2 between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne
The highway is closed due to flooding and slips.
The councillor says he did not say the words – but his meaning was correctly inferred.
