Heavy rain and flooding across region

Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management has partially activated its Emergency Operations Centre in New Plymouth in response to heavy rain and flooding events across the region.

In New Plymouth District, the sewerage system has been overwhelmed by stormwater and the NPDC has shut down many sewage pumping stations in Waitara, Bell Block and New Plymouth. As a result, raw sewage is being discharged to the sea from the Eliot St outfall in New Plymouth CBD and from the Waitara outfall, and is also being discharged to the Mangati Stream at Bell Block.

The public are advised to keep away from central New Plymouth, including Centre City, because of sewage contamination of floodwater.

There are also power outages and sewage pumping stations closed in South Taranaki.

There is also widespread surface flooding across the region including:

· SH3 north of New Plymouth at Big Jim's Hill, where floodwater is across the road.

· The Mangaotuku Stream behind Devon Intermediate in New Plymouth.

· Surface flooding around houses in Inglewood.

· Surface flooding which has closed some roads in South Taranaki.

· Waitotora Valley farmland and the valley road.