Coromandel holidaymakers are leaving the region to avoid possible road closures amid the bad weather forecast. Photo / Alison Smith
Coromandel holidaymakers are leaving the region to avoid possible road closures amid the bad weather forecast. Photo / Alison Smith
Coromandel beaches have been deserted and traffic has backed up after Civil Defence advised holidaymakers to head home to avoid possible road closures, flooding, slips and power cuts.
Thames-Coromandel Civil Defence controller Garry Towler issued advice for those on the Coromandel to plan ahead to Sunday, with five more days of north-easterly wind and rain likely to have a wide impact.
The warnings are being heeded by thousands of holidaymakers now caught in traditional traffic delay hotspots such as Tairua, where one-lane bridges have slowed the exodus to a crawl.
A severe weather warning for the Coromandel was issued by MetService at 10am this morning. Beaches have been closed in Hot Water Beach, Tairua, Whiritoa and Cathedral Cove near Hahei as 35-knot constant winds batter the coast. Beaches remain open as at midday in Whangamatā and Pauanui.
Towler urged residents and holidaymakers to make plans and act today before heavy rain and increasing gale-force north-easterly winds arrive from late this afternoon.
“While there is still some uncertainty, five more days of north-easterly wind and rain on the Coromandel is likely to have a wide impact, so we urge you to consider going to a safe, secure location, or even heading home today until the storm passes.
“The accumulation of rain by Saturday could see surface flooding, slips, road closures and power issues, so it’s worth hatching a plan to ensure no-one is stuck or isolated.”
Holidaymakers Karen and Arthur Keane of Howick were among those departing the Coromandel in their campervans. The couple were two days into a rally and said half those attending the event had decided to head home, cutting their trip short by five days.
Mercury Bay Business Association chairwoman Lynda Grant said it was understandable that campers should be warned, but she questioned advice aimed at bach owners.
”Prior to this weather, things were going really well, and it’s disappointing that the advice is given to go home. There’s been a huge amount of people in Whitianga up until now, and all those that have been struggling were hoping for a good summer. The hope is the beach owners will be back, at least for Anniversary Weekend.”
Gale-force winds are whipping up the sand and creating large and dangerous swells on east coast beaches, which are largely deserted after a hugely busy time for lifeguards.
Lifeguards Tom Simpson, Terry Warner, Bella Muir and Nathan Walters have gone from watching hundreds to seeing deserted beaches. Photo / Alison Smith
Going from a peak of 1400 people in the water and on the beach in Pauanui during last week’s hot and settled weather to zero people today at Tairua, lifeguards say the numbers dwindled from Monday, but there had still been rescues as the swell intensified.
Tairua surf club captain Terri Warner had finished for the day on Monday night and was in her car overlooking the beach at Tairua when she called in other guards to help her rescue two swimmers who entered a dangerous rip in a 1.5-metre swell at the north end of the beach.
“Two people had hopped in for a swim and one got a cramp. They both ended up 50m out to sea in the rip, and around the rocks. The rip was extremely obvious,” said Warner.
The pair were rescued by Warner and five other guards who returned to duty upon her call for help.
The message to depart was “disappointing” for many businesses that were enjoying a busy peak summer period after years of Covid upheaval, says a local business association.
Warnings of possible flooding, slips and gale-force wind come after the events of this morning when an earthquake was felt as a strong jolt throughout the Coromandel, including in Whangamatā, Pauanui, Whitianga, the foothills of the Kaimai Ranges on the west of the range, and even in Hamilton.
The magnitude 5.1 quake was at a depth of seven kilometres, occurring 5km south of Te Aroha at 5.39am.
Holidaymakers are advised to keep checking the MetService website, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the Thames-Coromandel District Council Facebook page for regular updates.
