NZ Herald Morning Headlines | Weather conditions have eased in Northland, Trump insists Iran is engaged in negotiations.
A keen darts player battled into the night to win a frozen chicken, even as floodwaters rose around him.
When Hahei darts enthusiast Tim Stephens prepared to take home his hard-earned winnings, he discovered he was stuck.
On Thursday evening Stephens had dropped his daughters, aged 9 and 7, attheir grandmother’s place in Whitianga before heading to the Coroglen Pub in Coromandel, where a small group of locals had gathered for a darts match.
He put in a strong performance notching a 140 high score and winning the frozen chicken.
But by the time the night wrapped up around 10.30pm, both routes home were underwater.
Flooding blocked access to Whitianga at Wade Rd, while the turnoff to Hahei was also impassable. Stephens and his wife bunked down with friends in Coroglen for the night.
Tim Stephens was stranded after a darts match, with routes to Whitianga and Hahei underwater. Photo / Mike Scott
He hoped to get back to his daughters later today and return home to Hahei, where he runs Cove Beach Essentials gift shop.
Locals were out early in Coroglen on Thursday monitoring rising river levels and a flooded stretches of SH25 in the Coromandel.
While the heavy rain began to abate rivers and flooded sections road remained.
Many motorists were attempting to navigate the highway on Friday morning, but this morning access into Whitianga remained cut off, and the route south was also blocked at Hikuai.
Heavy rain has caused widespread flooding and disruption around the top of the North Island this week, with up to 500 people having to evacuate their homes in Kaitāia last night due to flooding risk.
Tim Stephens stayed with friends in Coroglen overnight after his routes home were flooded. Photo / Mike Scott
Whangārei District Council and Far North District Council remain in states of emergency, with between 230 and 280mm of rain expected this morning.
MetService has warned the weather continues to be an “impactful multi-hazard event”, with heavy rain and strong northeast winds affecting many regions.
