Wanganui deluged

HEAVY rain lashed Wanganui city and district yesterday causing widespread flooding and slips.
It was of particular concern at Waitotara and Mowhanau and in Wanganui East and the Ward St area of Aramoho.
The Waitotara River reached 8.6m at Riminui Station at 9.30pm, and was 1.5 m below the road in Waitotara Village and still rising.
It was 14m at Riminui in the February flood, and the memory was enough to make residents nervous.
The big question was how much water the Ngutuwera catchment would add overnight. Two Ngutuwera households had evacuated themselves, Chief Fire Officer John Forester said.
He and his wife and deputy, Sylvia, planned to keep an eye on the situation overnight. They said the highest water would arrive around 7am.
Waitotara's Fire Service was on standby, with everyone at home but aware they could be called out.
The Foresters had been told that the road to Wanganui was closed by slips, but were still seeing vehicles using it last night.
Wanganui Civil Defence was put on alert in the morning when Matarawa Stream's level started to rise. In the past the stream has flooded houses in Wakefield St.
By mid afternoon the level had peaked and started to drop, but it was rising again last night. People in the area were advised to be vigilant.
The water supply to Kai Iwi and Mowhanau has been cut because a main was washed out. There is a 24-hour supply, but residents are asked to conserve it as much as possible because fixing the main is a big job.
A few properties in danger of flooding in Ward St, Anzac Pde and Ikitara Rd received sandbagging.
With a heavy rain and 45kph southerly wind warning for South Taranaki and Wanganui, beginning late yesterday and continuing into the early hours of this morning, Wanganui Civil Defence remained on alert overnight.
Up to 100mm of rain was expected to fall on Mt Taranaki's southern slopes and up to 70mm on the eastern hill country of Taranaki and on Wanganui hill country.
Heavy rain in the headwaters of the Whanganui River could cause problems in the city today.
Horizons Regional Council activated its emergency operations centre, and was keeping a particular watch on the Manawatu, Oroua and Rangitikei rivers.
The concern on the Rangitikei was new stopbank work near Flock House, downstream from Bulls. If the river gathered enough force it could scour and weaken the banks. But the river appeared to be dropping after 6pm, and there was no danger the stopbanks would be overtopped unless there was a further heavy dump of rain in the headwaters.
Staff from Works Infrastructure were out in force throughout the day clearing the roads.
Yesterday morning a slip on the Parapara section of SH4 closed the road between Wanganui and Raetihi for a short while. The slip was on a bend between a couple of sites still being restored due to damage done in the 2004 floods. Transit New Zealand regional manager Errol Christiansen said the bend was being closely monitored.
"Temporary repairs have been made on the bend but extensive work is required."
Wanganui District Council roading engineer Rui Leitao said the rain had caused flooding and slips throughout the city and rural areas, but no council roads had been closed.
Wanganui fire crews were out mopping up from about midday onward. Initially there were extra crews on, but when things quietened during the evening they were stood down.
Two businesses in Putiki Drive were flooded, as well as a house in Ward St, a basement in Georgetti Rd and various grounds.
One crew went to a vehicle accident near Mission Rd on SH3.
Senior Station Officer Ken Malcolm said a car slammed into a bank that had come down and the occupants needed help to get out.
Police said last night there was widespread surface flooding but they had not been called to any major incidents.
It snowed heavily on Mt Ruapehu yesterday. By mid-afternoon Whakapapa skifield had a snow base of 105cm, and Turoa had 160cm. Cars were stranded for a while at Turoa skifield, by heavy snow.
MetService forecaster Peter Little said yesterday's rain reached levels of nearly 13mm an hour in places. Over 100mm of rain in a day usually meant flooding. The showers are predicted to ease this morning, and the wind is expected to turn to the west and become gusty and fairly strong.