Kaka St in Morningside, Whangārei, after 12 hours of torrential rain. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Kaka St in Morningside, Whangārei, after 12 hours of torrential rain. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Heavy downpours overnight as part of the wild weather to hammer Northland have caused surface flooding on multiple roads around the region.
Following a morning of heavy storms, businesses on flood-prone Kaka St in Whangārei were battered and covered in bark.
The Grooming Lounge owner Rebekah Thompson went to work to find flooding up to her knees on Monday morning, but she said it's not an uncommon occurrence for the street.
"It's really bad, I don't know why."
She managed to get inside her building, which had some water leaking in, but said many customers had to turn around in the early morning when the flooding was at its worst.
"We put on shorts and sandals and walked through it ... we also had to take the dogs through the water."
Thompson has had her business for a year and a half and has already seen her fair share of flooding, but it was "unusual" for flooding to happen in summer.
"The whole reception had to be rebuilt and degutted because the flooding came up past the windows."
Pure Cafe owner Brendan Moore said the café's car park, which it shares with the Ministry of Education, frequently floods when there's heavy rain.
"One of the issues is there is this massive car park here and it just roars with water."
It's the "sixth or seventh time" Moore has seen the street flood since August 2020.
"We don't get flooded because we're quite high up but obviously we just lose customers."
Thompson and Moore both agreed that one of the biggest disappointments of the flooding was when people carelessly drive through it.
"I've got waves two metres plus up the side of the wall," Moore said.
"That's just from people driving up and down the street, they should be just turning around."
Power outages to parts of the region were urgently repaired as part of the recovery from a night of relentless rain and gale force winds.
Significant flooding occurred on State Highway 1 at the intersection of Baldrock Rd, between Whangārei and Kawakawa, and between the Brynderwyns and Kaiwaka; SH15 from Poroti to Titoki - Draffin Rd is blocked; Maungakaramea Rd which may require a 4WD to access; SH10 south of Puketona Junction; Pipiwai Rd, Onerahi Rd -towards Parua Bay, Whangārei Heads Rd at the intersection of Beach Rd, Western Hills Dr, Kaka St in central Whangārei is completely flooded; Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd, Porowini Ave, Otaika Rd and Kioreroa Rd, McLeod Bay in Whangārei Heads has flooding across the road; Heretaunga St, Te Hononga St; SH14 has one lane open headed towards Whangārei.
Police asked motorists to slow down and drive to the conditions, particularly when travelling on highways.
Northpower reported a lost electricity supply from Transpower at Maungaturoto. The outage affected power to Maungaturoto, Kaiwaka, Mangawhai, Ruawai, Paparoa and surrounding areas.
In Tutukaka trees damaged powerlines leaving nine residents without electricity.
Fifty-eight Northpower customers in Topuni and Oruawharo near Te Hana, were also without power, alongside 151 residents in Pipiwai.
Top Energy reported an outage on Tanekaha Lane due to fallen trees.
Bridge destroyed by floodwaters in Waipū this morning. Photo / Dale William
Northland Fire and Emergency NZ crews attended three weather related callouts overnight, and had responded to a further 22 flooding related call outs, mostly in the Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Wellsford areas since 6am.
They involved fallen trees, vehicle crashes, and especially in Mangawhai - flooded homes. Firefighters also carried out welfare checks on residents in affected areas.
MetService meteorologist Ashlee Parkes said both the severe thunderstorm watch and heavy rain warning has been lifted for Northland.
Surface flooding has been reported around the region after a night of heavy downpours. Photo / Michael Cunningham
"The worst of the weather has passed. There are still some showers around today [Monday] and some may be heavy," she said.
A slow-moving active front passed over Northland overnight bringing torrential rain, thunderstorms, and gale-force winds for most parts of the region.
In Kaipara, areas near Paparoa experienced 137mm of rainfall in the 12-hours up to 6am - around 73mm of that fell within an hour.
The Bay of Islands experienced 133mm of rain for the same time period with 102mm falling within two hours from 1am.
Whangārei Airport recorded 102mm for the same time period, with 64mm falling in an hour from 6am.
Further north, Kerikeri and Kaikohe had 96mm of rainfall.
A vehicle stuck in the flood waters in Pipiwai on Monday morning. Photo / Steve Macmillan
"Most of Northland and north Auckland were hit hard," Parkes said.
Strong winds also battered the region with gusts up to 105km/h recorded in Kāeo followed by 68km/h winds in Whangārei and 62km/h gusts in Kaikohe - lower wind speeds occurred in Kerikeri.
