Two states of local emergency have been declared across the Manawatū-Whanganui region after heavy rain triggered flooding, slips, evacuations and state highway closures overnight, with Whanganui now bracing for forecast flooding as river levels surge.
Further north, 75 homes were without power in the Tauranga suburb of Welcome Bay, with the cause of the outage listed as a "tornado" by lines company PowerCo.
Whanganui mayor Andrew Tripe declared a state of local emergency for the Whanganui District at 6.57am on Sunday, hours after a similar declaration was made by Ruapehu District Council for the Ōhura Ward at 3.21am.
Civil Defence has warned flood levels in Whanganui are forecast to “come very close to the top or overtopping the stopbanks at Kōwhai Park”. Whanganui River Rd is likely to close, with impacts also expected in upper river communities, including at the Whanganui River Hunting and Food Festival at Pungarehu Marae.
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Designated areas for possible evacuation include lower Whanganui East, Anzac Parade, lower Taupō Quay and boardwalk areas, upper river communities, and low‑lying parts of Pūtiki where water may cross roads and affect marae and kōhanga reo.
Residents wishing to proactively evacuate are being encouraged to stay with whānau or friends if possible. Emergency evacuation centres will open later this morning at St Paul’s Church on Guyton St and Whanganui Girls’ College in Whanganui East.
Manawatū‑Whanganui Civil Defence said modelling from Horizons Regional Council indicated flood protection assets may need to be deployed in Whanganui township. High tide at 11.04am is expected to further influence river levels. Horizons had teams ready to deploy flood protection infrastructure from 7am, while the New Zealand Defence Force, Red Cross and NZRT4 had also deployed assets to assist in Whanganui and Ruapehu.
In the small Ruapehu town of Ōhura, flooding cause six residents to evacuate their homes, with the Ōhura Memorial Hall opened as a Civil Defence Centre.
Local resident Mike Crowley described the deluge as a "real cracker flash flood".
"It was knee deep at my place and waist deep or more on Tongaporutu Rd. There was strong current from there down to the main street," he told 1News.
About 100mm of rain had fallen in the Ruapehu District in the past 24 hours, with a heavy rain warning still in place.
The rain fell in the upper catchment of the Whanganui River, and that water is now flowing downstream toward Whanganui township.
Awakino Gorge closed
State Highway 3 will remain closed through the Awakino Gorge after more rain overnight caused further slips and flooding.
NZTA said crews were continuing to assess the route with trucks and excavators currently working to clear lanes.
"Within the first kilometre of the gorge, 25 truckloads of material have been removed from the road, with additional material still to be removed," an NZTA spokesperson said.
The severe weather extends beyond Manawatū-Whanganui.
MetService has an orange heavy rain warning in place for the eastern Bay of Plenty, with 80 to 110mm of rain expected east of the Whakatane River between 6am and 4pm.
Heavy rain watches also cover parts of Auckland, Gisborne and South Canterbury, with a moderate chance of those being upgraded to warnings.
The forecaster said a front followed by several active troughs was driving the unsettled conditions. MetService is scheduled to update its warnings at 10am.
Civil Defence urged people in the Manawatū-Whanganui region to take care, avoid floodwater and follow instructions from local authorities and emergency services.
In Wellington yesterday morning, heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding across parts of the region, forcing sections of several state highways to close and more than two dozen homes to be evacuated.
Wellington Region Emergency Management said 25 homes in Stokes Valley and one home in Porirua had been evacuated.
Residents in Stokes Valley described a sudden and intense downpour around 9am, with water levels rising within minutes as drains and manholes failed under pressure. In multiple streets, stormwater burst through manhole covers and cracked concrete, sending muddy water through driveways, garages and backyards.
State Highway 58 remained closed to traffic this morning due to localised flooding, but NZTA said the route was expected to reopen before 10am.
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