Communities have been cut off in parts of the central North Island today with torrential rain causing widespread flooding, slips, and road closures.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said sections of State Highway 3, State Highway 4, State Highway 30, State Highway 31, and State Highway 43 had been closed by slips and surface flooding.
Ruapehu District Council partially activated its emergency operations centre yesterday, saying heavy rainfall forecast to ease last night had continued at a higher rate than anticipated, especially in the north of the district.
Ōhura, Maitere and Tokorima townships were currently isolated by slips and flooding across local access roads.
"Regional Civil Defence headquarters in Palmerston North has advised that the heavier rainfall currently passing over the district is expected to mitigate through the morning with a swing to a southerly direction later in the day," said Ruapehu controller Clive Manley.
There had been reports that some houses in Ōhura were under flood threat, and a family in Maitere had self-evacuated, he said.
"Ruapehu Civil Defence is being supported in the response by the Regional Civil Defence headquarters in Palmerston North including with staff at the EOC."
Some Ruapehu water treatment plants have stopped operating due to the churn of sediment from high rivers but there were no concerns with supplies as reservoirs were meeting demand.
Manley said Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell had been in contact to offer necessary support.
"People are asked to continue to avoid any unnecessary travel as the weather system passes through."
Road closures
A section of State Highway 3 through the Awakino Gorge was blocked by multiple slips and flooding, leaving parts of the road impassable and some vehicles stranded.
Police said some truck drivers had opted to remain with their vehicles, which could not be turned around.
"Motorists are urged not to travel through the Gorge area until the slips can be cleared,” a police spokesperson said.
SH4 was closed between Eight Mile Junction and Taumarunui. SH30 was also closed between Kopaki Rd and Benneydale village, with a narrow and winding detour via Mangaokewa Rd. SH31 was closed between Ngutuni Rd and Okupata Rd, with a detour in place that was unsuitable for heavy vehicles.
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SH43 Forgotten World Highway was closed from Whangamōmona to Taumarunui. Access remained open from Stratford to Whangamōmona.
NZTA urged drivers to reduce speed, increase following distances, avoid sudden braking, and use headlights in poor visibility.
"At this time, it is unknown how long the closures will be in place. Crews are onsite at both state highways managing traffic approaching the flooding/slip sites," an NZTA spokesperson said.
An orange heavy rain warning remained in place for the region until 12pm, with MetService forecasting up to 60mm of rain before midday in areas including Waitomo and the Waikato south of Raglan and Cambridge.
Warnings were also active for the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty until 5pm, with a heavy rain watch in place for Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, and Waikato about and north of Raglan to Cambridge (until 2pm), and Taumarunui and Taupō (until 11am).
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