North Island thunderstorms: Emergency teams mobilised in Taranaki, clean up underway

More thunderstorms are likely across the North Island today as a clean up is underway in towns and cities swamped in yesterday's tropical-fuelled deluge.

An emergency response team remains mobilised in New Plymouth this morning after parts of the Taranaki city disappeared under water and sewage spilled into waterways.

MetService forecasters are warning there may be a few more thunderstorms in store this afternoon as the low-pressure system pulled away to the east of the country.

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They were expected to rumble over Taupō, Manawatū and the Tararua District.

A heavy rain watch remains in place for Taranaki north of Eltham, with the threat of heavy rain creating further problems for already sodden areas.

Climate clues 🕵️‍♂️

The eastern Indian Ocean has its fingerprints on New Zealand’s unsettled pattern from Sunday into early next week.

Watch how 👇 pic.twitter.com/aPovymM2gL

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) November 25, 2020

Some New Plymouth roads are closed and people are being warned not to swim or eat kai from waterways after widespread flooding and sewerage overflows in the district.

There are now public warnings in place for the region's beaches from Ngāmotu through to Bell Block after sewage overflows.

The cloudburst also saw central Te Awamutu under water with shopkeepers faced with ruined stock as floodwaters poured into stores lining the main street.

The Te Awamutu Library shut its doors to the public yesterday after floodwaters washed through the single storey building.

MetService said New Plymouth and Whanganui airports saw more rain in a single 18-hour period than they did in all of last November.

The radar at 7am shows the bulk of the rain is around the top of the South Island and bottom of the North Island. However, showers will develop over many other parts of the North Island as the day progresses. Keep updated - latest radar imagery at https://t.co/prKU7O2R01 ^SG pic.twitter.com/WOsi8shtud

— MetService (@MetService) November 25, 2020

The New Plymouth District Council reported over 100mm of rain fell at the Brooklands Zoo in 12 hours.

The council said the city's aging water network was in stemmed from the sustained cloudburst that saw 80mm of rain fell in five hours overwhelming the city's ageing water network.

The council said crews on the ground were now focusing on cleaning up rain-related debris and drainage issues.