Evacuations not required, state of emergency remains in place for Whanganui District

The Whanganui River spills over the boardwalk at the Town Bridge around 12.30pm on Sunday. Photo / Noam Mānuka Lazarus

• A state of emergency has been declared in Whanganui due to severe rainfall and forecast flooding.
• Mandatory evacuations will not be required with the river level peaking lower than forecast.
• The Whanganui River at the Town Bridge peaked at 7.8m around 1pm.

Mandatory evacuations will not be required after the flood peak and high tide in the Whanganui River was lower than forecast.

But residents in low-lying areas are being asked to remain vigilant.

Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe declared a state of local emergency for the Whanganui district at 6.57am today.

It will remain in place overnight and its status will be reviewed once there is confidence that our community is safe.

High tide in Whanganui township was at 11.04am.

The Whanganui River at the Town Bridge peaked at 7.8m around midday.

During the 2015 flood, the peak was 9.1m.

“As a community based around the Whanganui River, being prepared for flood events like this should be second nature,” Tripe said.

“We prepare for the worst and hope for the best. In this situation, the forecast has come out for the best at this stage.”

Flooding closed roads around the district, including Mangamahu Rd, Whanganui River Rd and Kaiwhaiki Rd.

Kainui Rd at Mangamahu was closed because of a slip.

Flood barriers have been put up at Kowhai Park.

The river boardwalks at Moutoa Quay and Drews Ave remained closed yesterday afternoon.

Roads leading to Kowhai Park and surrounding land on Anzac Parade are blocked as ponding is present and the community is advised to stay away.

“It is important that residents stay out of floodwater and be wary of entering areas where surface flooding is occurring,” Tripe said.

Tripe said declaring a state of emergency was not done “lightly”.

“This is the first state of emergency I’ve declared in my time here, I wanted to make sure that we were doing the right thing, and I’m absolutely sure of that,” he said.

Whanganui mayor Andrew Tripe and Whanganui Civil Defence emergency manager Tim Crowe.

“We’ve got a really good team here and there are people on the ground responding to the situation.

Earlier on Sunday Civil Defence staff carried out door knocking in affected areas to prepare to evacuate if required.

An emergency evacuation centre was opened at St Paul’s Church in Guyton St.

People are also asked not to drive or walk through flood waters which may be contaminated and contain debris.

Sailings on the Waimarie paddle steamer were cancelled for the day.

Residents should follow the council’s Facebook page and website for the latest updates.

MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam said there was more rain on the way for Whanganui this week, with showers on Monday morning.

“And that’s turning to rain in the afternoon on Monday. And there’ll be some heavy falls, and thunderstorms are also possible.

Rain is also expected on Tuesday, before isolated showers on Wednesday.

“The rest of the week, we should mention this because it’s good news, is fine and sunny.”

Minister for Emergency Management travelling to Taumarunui

Meanwhile, Ruapehu District Council declared a local state of emergency at 3.21am this morning because of flooding in Ōhura from overnight river levels that inundated parts of the township.

Deputy chair of the Taumarunui-Ōhura Ward Committee, Sophie Stockbridge, reported that the Mangaroa Stream, part of the Ōhura River catchment, reached 7.3m overnight.

At its peak, floodwaters reached chest height in several streets, surrounding several houses and the local school, and inundating multiple vehicles. One vehicle has been reported lost because of flooding.

Evacuations took place between midnight and 3am, with 18 tourists currently being cared for at the Ōhura Memorial Hall welfare centre. All local residents are reported to be safe.

Minister for Emergency Management, Mark Mitchell, is travelling to Taumarunui to assess the situation first-hand and has confirmed that all necessary Government support will be made available.

Teams, including the New Zealand Red Cross, are also on standby in Taumarunui, ready to deploy supplies and resources such as bedding as soon as it is safe to enter the township.

Roading contractors are actively assessing damage and access routes, with a flyover scheduled shortly to provide a clearer picture of the situation on the ground.