Cyclone Gita: Restaurant closes shop as Takaka, near Nelson loses power

Name: Frances Cook reports flooding at Motueka
Uploaded: 2018-02-20T19:25:36+13:00
Duration: 48 s
Description: Frances Cook reports from Motueka, just outside Nelson, at a river which is 'very fast-flowing.'

By Ryan Dunlop

Ryan Dunlop is a reporter for the New Zealand Herald·NZ Herald·

20 Feb, 2018 03:50 AM2 mins to read

Frances Cook reports from Motueka, just outside Nelson, at a river which is 'very fast-flowing.'

Takaka near Nelson has lost all power to the township as Cyclone Gita bears down on the region, foricing evacuations due to flooding.

Around 150 in the area have self-evacuated, with others being asked to be aware, and consider self-evacuating if they feel their safety could be at risk.

Dangerous Kitchen owner Yvonne Dorne said she was closing the shop before its usual dinner service because it had lost power to all of the restaurant.

"I'm in the café and everything has died.

"Staff have been calling family and friends, they are all saying the power is out too."

Collingwood-Puponga Main Road at Taupata Bridge has been washed out. Photo / Tasman District Council

Other residents had reported that the whole town was out of power.

Her home just outside of the town had also lost power.

Ligar Bay in Golden Bay was also reportedly without power.

Further north in Golden Bay the Collingwood-Puponga Main Road at Taupata Bridge had been washed out, according to the Tasman District Council.

The Abel Tasman Drive at Wainui Hill near Takaka was also washed out.

Constant rain since five this morning was now causing problems in nearby Nelson.

More than 40 millimetres of rain has been recorded today and more is expected as former cyclone Gita moves across the top of the South Island.

The water is getting very close to houses at Riwaka near Motueka and residents are self evacuating, while surface flooding is making driving hazardous right across the Nelson province.

State Highway 60 over the Takaka Hill had been closed due to a major slip

Police were trying to determine how many people are caught on that road.

The wind is also gusting strongly, with reports of many trees down across roads around the Nelson region.

Denise Duncan, in Nelson, said the wind was the most prominent part of the storm on Haven Rd, near the Boathouse and Boat Shed Cafe.

The boathouse cafe was badly damaged after Cyclone Fehi brought heavy rains, floods and strong winds to the region at the start of the month.