Flooding: Te Kuiti rainfall almost one-in-250-years storm event, heavy rain watch in place

There are lots of slips in the Waitomo District that have yet to be cleared. Photo / Waitomo District Council facebook

The recent unprecedented weather in Te Kūiti was very close to a one-in-250-years storm event, Waitomo District Council says.

The council said the small town, located south of the Waitomo Caves, received a total of 250mm of rain across the long weekend with a total of 172.5mm recorded on Saturday alone.

In a Facebook post today, the council says: “Based on the historical rainfall data, Saturday’s rainfall was well over a 1:100-year storm event and very close to a 1:250-year storm event.”

Waitomo mayor John Robertson declared the State of Emergency on Saturday evening which was initially to last seven days, however, Robertson lifted the status on Monday.

Despite the lift, a heavy rain watch is still in force for the early hours of Wednesday morning and the council is urging residents to have a grab bag and emergency supplies ready in case they need to evacuate in the middle of the night.

“The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your whanau is get ready. Make and practise your emergency plan, make a grab bag and have emergency supplies in case you need to evacuate.”

The council also reminds people to include any pets and farm animals in any emergency planning and preparation.

For more information on how to make an emergency plan visit the Civil Defense website.

Several local roads remain closed and low-lying areas of land alongside the Mangaokewa Stream and other catchments may flood again if heavy rain eventuates.

A drop-in information centre with access to MSD information, Welfare support and other services is operating at Railway Building 3 on Rora Street for most of this week. Operating hours are 10am to 3pm.

If you have been out of town for the weekend and come home to a flood-damaged house or workplace, you can contact the council.

The council hotline is available 24/7 on 0800 932 4357.