Heavy winds and monster waves hit the upper North Island as Cyclone Gabrielle moves in, how the bad weather’s affecting our transport and roads and the death toll in Turkey and Syria rises in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
Families on the East Coast have evacuated to the nearest shelters as floodwaters start to rise ahead of Cyclone Gabrielle unleashing a deluge of rain in the coming 24 hours.
Those living in the Gisborne region, which is currently under a red heavy rain warning, are on edge just weeks after the district was slammed by Cyclone Hale.
A state of emergency has been declared for the region for the next seven days.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Group Controller Ben Green said the peak of Cyclone Gabrielle was expected around midnight tonight, “please hunker down and stay safe”.
Tolaga Bay Civil Defence’s Shannon Gray told the Herald whānau along the Hikuwai River were being asked to evacuate.
Gray said River had swelled to 13m, even higher the 12.8m recorded during Cyclone Hale last month.
The rise in Hikuwai River, Tolkaga Bay, Tairawhiti today from 6.54am to 2.36pm. Photo / Gisborne District Council River Webcam
While they could not provide specific numbers, Gray said it was about 20 to 30 people.
Onepoto residents at Wharekahika (Hicks Bay) were also advised to evacuate.
“People in low-lying areas are self-evacuating to stay with whānau and friends. Welfare centres are ready to be activated from 6pm tonight, Green said.
The list will be on the Civil Defence website as soon as it was confirmed.
“Please move any waka or boats away from the river’s edge. Stay out of the water,” Green said.
Green urged people to stay off the roads and to avoid unnecessary travel.
“Please no rubbernecking as the police will send you home”, he said.
SH35 had been closed between Te Puia Springs and Ruatoria due to surface flooding.
There was a planned closure for the rest of the state highway from Okitu to Lottin Point at 7pm but it could close earlier at short notice due to flooding, Green said.
Tauwhareparae Road was also closed. There had been reports of trees down and surface flooding.
Flooding in Tairawhiti. Photo / police
The emergency wastewater scour had been opened at Gladstone Road bridge to reduce the impact on region’s wastewater system which was running at 5 times the normal flows, Green said.
The seaside community of Anaura Bay north of Tolaga Bay is bracing for today’s high tide as State Highway 35 starts to flood.
Resident Hera Ngata-Gibson told the Herald they had had steady rain since yesterday afternoon. And today the sea looked very full, hours ahead of high tide.
“Wind gusts are picking up. There’s some surface flooding between Mangatuna and Tokomaru Bay on SH35.
“Our little community is as prepared as it can be.”
Hikuwai River level has exceeded 11 metres. Photo / Gisborne District Council River Webcam
Uawa-Tolaga Bay Civil Defence is urging households in Paroa, Wharekaka and Kaiaua to start making decisions around safety as the Hikuwai River level exceeds 11 metres.
Gisborne civil defence team member Matua Lornch was checking on whānau and roads across the district this morning when he came across widespread flooding on Makarika Rd.
“My aunty who is a nurse at Te Puia Springs Hospital was desperate to get home so I just told her to follow me and got her through to get to her house.
“About 500 metres of the road from the bridge to the woolshed is underwater. A truck almost slipped off and had to turn around halfway.”
Makarika Rd in Gisborne is underwater due to widespread flooding this morning. Photo / Matua Lornch
Ngata-Gibson said some whānau had evacuated to Hauiti Marae in Tolaga Bay.
“Our marae here at Anaura Bay is closed. It is still recovering from last March’s weather event.”
Taharora Marae trustee and whānau helper Pearl Beattie told the Herald three families had relocated to the Marae so far and more were expected to come today.
Due to frequent weather events, they had become better equipped for storms.
“We started preparing by gathering firewood on Saturday. And the first whānau evacuated that afternoon.
“They came from a road in Waipiro Bay which is prone to washing out. More whānau arrived yesterday morning and afternoon. About six adults and four tamariki.
The marae had a generator ready for when the power cuts off, Beattie said.
“There is another evacuation point at the old Waipiro Bay.”
Whareponga Rd resident Doc Ngarimu said there had been no evacuations at this stage but “if the water keeps rising then may have to evacuate sooner rather than later”.
When high tide comes in that’s when all the flooded rivers would back up onto the flats, Ngarimu said, starting with the Waiapu River which was “not looking good”.
Flooding and slash debris at the Wigan Bridge, Tauwhareparae, Tolaga Bay as cyclone Gabrielle hits New Zealand. Picture / Supplied
“The part of the road along the river would be gone by morning because there are no rocks on the bank to hold the water, it is just dirt.
“The silt from last month’s weather event has not been fixed yet. We will have to evaluate again once this cyclone is gone.”
Tolaga Bay resident Linda Gough was told by local police and civil defence controller to leave her property as it had become unsafe.
”We did not want to put other people in danger if they had to come and help us,” Gough said.
“We have our six-year-old with us. The way everyone is talking also got us quite worried.”
Forestry debris is still piled up on the side of Tolaga Bay resident Linda Gough's driveway. Photo / Linda Gough
Her property was inundated by forestry debris last month after Cyclone Hale hit the region.
Te Akau o Tokomaru Civil Defence co-ordinator Lilian Te Hau-Ward said the team was encouraging whānau living in areas known to flood to relocate to Tuatini Marae.
Te Riu o Waiapu area (Tikitiki and Ragitukia) civil defence team is also encouraging whānau to head to their designated evacuation centres early.
These are Rahui Marae – Tikitiki, Hinepare Marae – Rangitukia and Ohine Waiapu Marae – Beach Road, Rangitukia, catering to whānau who are potentially isolated by the Maraehara River.
“There have not been any Civil Defence-mandated evacuations at this stage, however, some whānau have voluntarily evacuated,” Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said.
“There are nine people at Rahui Marae and Beach Road residents are now being encouraged to evacuate to Ohine Waiapu Marae.”
Schools across the district were also closed today.
MetService has issued a 31-hour red heavy rain warning for Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay which started 9pm last night and is ending at 4am on Tuesday.
Up to 300-400mm of rain is expected inland and 200-500mm of rain about the coast with peak intensities of 10 to 15mm/h.
And 25 to 40mm/h from Monday afternoon. Further showers were possible on Tuesday, and some could be heavy.
Last month, people on the East Coast bore the brunt of the ex-cyclone Hale, with a heaving dump of rain and gale-force winds cutting power and closing roads.
Storm-lashed Gisborne families near the Hikuwai River around Mangatuna self-evacuated after Civil Defence warned ex-Cyclone Hale was “potentially one of the worst” it had seen.
