Stormy weather takes toll on Bay road

Flood water washed away a section of Kaimata Rd near Bay View last night. Photo/Paul Taylor.

More than 1200 lightning strikes were recorded by the MetService yesterday, with heavy rain washing away sections of road and causing slips in Hawke's Bay, as a series of thunderstorms moved over the central North Island.

Constable John Viljoen said a "huge downpour" had caused localised surface flooding and washed away a section of road near the Kaimata Rd intersection with SH2, north of Bay View about 7pm.

"It's just all come down and tried to make its way under the road, and washed some of it away. It's trying to take it away, the road is pretty well sunken down," Mr Viljoen said.

Kaimata Rd resident Charlie Hollis said his property had "torrential rain" and received about 15mm: "All the water has come down from the north side of the road and it just has nowhere to go.

"I've spoken to council about this, it's happened before. It's just all backed up and there is a whole heap of stuff in there blocking it and the water can't go anywhere."

He said the road had flooded every three to four years when a good storm struck since he moved to the area in 2000.

Seafield Rd, west of Bay View, also experienced flooding and a number of roadside slips, cutting off sections of the road.

The MetService recorded 26.2mm of rain between 6pm and 8pm in Napier yesterday.

Thunderstorms will continue to threaten the North Island today as the hot, humid weather carries through to another day.

Heavy rain accompanied many of the thunderstorms, with more than 30mm of rain recorded in one hour just south of Gisborne, said MetService forecaster Chris Noble.

There will be a risk of severe storms later in the day, possibly with heavy rain and some hail.