Residents of Esk Valley in Hawke's Bay are evacuating from their homes for a second time this month, as heavy rain threatens to cause more flooding overnight.
The evacuation order was issued by Hawke's Bay Emergency Management on Friday afternoon, as an orange heavy rain warning was in place for Hawke's Bay — with 150 to 200mm of rain expected.
Hawke's Bay Emergency Management Controller Ian Macdonald told media that most of the rain was expected to fall overnight.
He said authorities had issued an emergency mobile alert to notify residents and reiterated that the evacuation was a precautionary and "pre-emptive" step.
"We're really concerned about evacuating people overnight and looking at the impacts in terms of safety of our first responders and people who are evacuating," he said.
"You know, I definitely do not want to be rescuing people off the top of roofs at short notice. I think this is the best thing to do for their safety and for our first responders."
However, the emergency controller said officials were "definitely not looking" at similar weather to the storm brought by Cyclone Gabrielle almost two weeks ago.
"We're definitely not looking at what we saw 10 days ago," he said.
"The river is known to rise quickly, and it has been known to burst its banks. So, we really just want to make sure that people are safe tonight."
But, for residents, Hastings District Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the new round of evacuations would have a big psychosocial impact on the small town.
"Our community is, you know, traumatised, They've been through a huge cyclone. A huge event that they've never seen in Hawke's Bay in their lifetime," she said.
Macdonald said they were not expecting any further damage to bridges, but that authorities were concerned about how quickly the Eskdale River could burst its banks again.
MetService also warned of heavy rain: "Away from the ranges north of Hastings (this includes the Esk Valley area and the Wairoa District), and 70 to 100mm elsewhere.
"The heaviest falls are likely from 3pm Friday, with peak rates of 20 to 30mm/h possible."
The forecaster's warning is in place until 10am tomorrow.
People are asked to leave as soon as possible as roads could be affected by surface flooding or slips. Roadblocks will be set up by authorities.
People who are leaving are asked to stay with friends or whānau.
There are Civil Defence centres open at Flaxmere Community Centre, Waipawa Municipal Theatre and Pōrangahau Rugby Club.
The Centennial Hall in Napier will be open from 4pm today.
Advice from the National Emergency Management Agency
- Heavy rain could cause further flooding, landslides, and damage to roads in areas impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.
- Put safety first. Act quickly if you see rising water do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
- Have grab bags ready with: medications, snacks, water, torches, pet food, and baby formula (if needed) in case you need to evacuate.
- Plan where you will go if you have to evacuate
- Ensure that you have enough food, water, and other essential supplies to last for several days.
- Wear protective clothing when cleaning flood water and mud including: mask, goggles, gloves, long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and gumboots or work shoes.
- Stay up to date with the latest information from MetService and your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.
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