Hamilton cleans up after severe storm, but more rain to come

Surface flooding in Hamilton. Parts of the city received up to 42mm of rain in an hour. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Many roads and pathways across Hamilton were flooded after the heavy spell of rain and thunderstorms battered the Waikato region last night with city council teams this afternoon warning of more to come as MetService forecasts heavy rainfall to continue in coming days.

The city council said on Wednesday night Hamilton experienced the most intense period of the storm with parts of the city receiving up to 42mm of rain within an hour.

Throughout the evening, about 200 jobs were logged from people notifying Hamilton City Council’s customer service team via the Antenno App, phone calls and social media. The council says that with its Infrastructure Alliance and City Delivery teams at the ready, emergency calls were quickly responded to, alleviating flooded areas of concern by early Wednesday morning.

Council crews were continuing to clean up any damage across the city, including parks, paths and roads. Some areas remain closed due to surface flooding, these include low-lying areas by the river and Hamilton Lake.

Waikato River levels are higher than normal. For more about the Waikato River, and level management visit the Waikato Regional Council website. The city council’s deputy chief executive, Sean Murray, said teams were also preparing for more adverse weather ahead, with MetService expecting heavy rainfall to continue in the coming days.

“Thank you to our council staff who worked tirelessly throughout the evening in really trying conditions. When rain buckets down along with wind and thunder, it’s not just emergency services like the police and fire crew here to help the community,” said Murray.

“With our climate changing, we are expecting to see normally unique weather events like last night’s become more common. We are looking into how we can improve the efficiency and reliance of our city’s wastewater and stormwater networks in our planning, so we’re prepared for increased rainfall.

“Last night’s event also highlights some of the dangers and risks involved that the public should avoid. We ask people not to swim or wade in flood waters or attempt to drive through. The best place to be is safe, warm and dry inside.”

The council’s advice to keep safe is:

● Be aware of flash flooding on roads, paths, and properties.

● If you’re out and about on our roads, please drive to the conditions.

● Wait until morning to put your bins out, and bring your empty bins in from the kerb as soon as you can.

● Secure all loose items in your yard, such as furniture, toys, trampolines, and umbrellas.

The council also says if you see something, please report it. Use the Antenno app in the first instance to keep phone lines clear for serious issues. Or alternatively, email the HCC team at info@hcc.govt.nz.

For more information and weather updates, please visit MetService