The large swell along Westshore Beach might have been good news for surfies but nearby residents could have been a little concerned. Video Paul Taylor.
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council will be "reviewing the future management" of Westshore's artificial gravel bund which has been breached at least twice in the storm this week.
The sea surged through at high tide late on Thursday morning and again late last night, both times flooding lower lying areasof the Westshore beach reserve.
Council general manager asset management Chris Dolley confirmed swells had damaged the bund, which he said is a "soft engineering measure to protect the land behind against erosion and is expected to undergo some damage during swell events like what we've seen recently."
In the last day swells of up to 6 metres had been forecast, and wells had been recorded 3 metres at the Napier Port buoy on at high tide on Thursday night.
The swells had come from the east, hitting areas normally sheltered from the more common southerly swells, he said.
They had also hit he more commonly pounded coast between Haumoana and Clifton, on the bay side of Cape Kidnappers.
Dolley said the Council will be repairing the bund in the next few weeks, but it would also be reviewing the future management of the Westshore area of the coast in the development of the region's coastal hazard strategy.
