Flooding isolates Coromandel towns

The scene where a large tree fell onto a house in Parnell, Auckland. Photo / NZPA

Towns around the Coromandel Peninsula have been cut off from each other as flooding from heavy rain sweeps across the North Island.

Flooding has closed State Highway 2 at Opoutere, Hikuai/Settlement Rd, Hot Water Beach Rd, Wades Culvert, Te Rerenga and Manaia.

At Opoutere, forestry logs have also been washed down the hills onto SH25.

As of 9.30am, residents cannot travel from Thames to Tairua, Pauanui or Whangamata, from Thames to Coromandel township, Tairua to Whitianga, and from Whitianga to Coromandel township, the Thames Coromandel District Council said.

There is flooding across the fords in the Kauaeranga Valley and Victoria Street in Thames, and minor slips on Kennedy Bay Rd, Blackjack Rd and the 309 Rd, but the roads are still passable.

The council said flooding is expected to worsen around high tide from about 10am till midday.

On the East Cape flooding has also closed SH35 north of Te Puia Springs and East Cape Rd at Te Araroa is closed due to flooding, a slip and fallen trees.

In Auckland, a Fire Service spokesman said there had been no reports of flooding overnight and crews had only attended two weather related callouts in Auckland - a downed tree in Parnell and another in Otara.

A Parnell family had to clamber over a fallen oak tree to get out of their house this morning.

The tree fell on a car and damaged the front entrance of the house, blocking in the occupants.

No one was hurt, but firefighters had to cut through it so the occupants could get in and out.

There have also been two call-outs on the North Shore for water blowing through ceilings.

In the 24 hours up until 8am this morning, 32mm of rain fell in Whangarei; 46mm in Whangaparaoa; 25mm at Auckland Airport; 143mm in Whitianga; 147mm at The Pinnacles in the Coromandel Ranges; 56mm in Tauranga; 30mm in Rotorua; 49mm in Whakatane, and 67mm in Gisborne.
The heavy rain has now cleared for Northland and Auckland, and should clear for the Coromandel Peninsula by 10am.

But heavy rain warnings remain in place for Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, MetService said.

Forecaster Geoff Sanders said rain was continuing to fall steadily this morning in Gisborne at 2.5mm an hour.

A further 30-50mm is expected in the Bay of Plenty east of Rotorua up until midday as the heavy rain eases from the west this morning.

Up until 1pm another 40-60mm is forecast for Gisborne, possibly peaking to as much as 25mm an hour, and until 2pm another 40-60mm is expected for the Hawkes Bay north of Napier.

Mr Sanders said the east North Island would continue to get light rain this afternoon but by early tomorrow morning those falls should be gone.

MetService warned the rainfall could lead to slips and swollen rivers and coupled with very high tides could threaten to cause surface flooding in low lying coastal areas.

- with NZPA and NEWSTALK ZB