A river has burst its banks as evacuations, fallen trees, and flooded roads have cut off an entire community in South Wairarapa.
By Sue Teodoro of Local Democracy Reporting
All roads into the small settlement of Lake Ferry have been flooded, leaving the community isolated.
Parts of a local motel were reportedly a metre under water.
The Tūranganui River had reportedly flooded the main road, and the Tauanui River had burst its banks, flooding paddocks.
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Families living on low lying ground had evacuated to nearby Pirinoa Hall.
Lake Ferry resident Vicky Prout was one of those affected.
"We are quite blocked off. It’s all flooded through the paddocks. The power went out last night and it's still out," she said.
"The lake level is quite high."
Prout said her husband had checked on the Gateway Motel at the entrance to the settlement and found some of the units were up to a metre under water.
"We are not panicking yet. If the lake starts flooding, we will think about evacuating."
She and others were checking in on elderly locals and people without internet.
Lake Ferry Rd from Martinborough into the township looked like a wasteland on Monday afternoon, following hours of sustained intense rain and strong winds.
Water cascaded off the hills and pooled along both sides of the road as many of the paddocks filled up, forming muddy lakes. Heavy rain and wind continued into the storm's second day.
Farmers had moved drenched herds to shelter on higher ground away from the worst of the flooding.
Fallen trees and branches littered parts of the road, and in one place a massive tree had been removed and left on the roadside.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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