A person makes his way along the flooded section of State Highway 25, at Hikuai near Pauanui last week. Photo / Alan Gibson
A person makes his way along the flooded section of State Highway 25, at Hikuai near Pauanui last week. Photo / Alan Gibson
Four homes are uninhabitable after heavy rain lashed Coromandel last week.
The area was in the firing line when a rain-packed weather system dumped record-breaking downpours across the upper North Island, including 850ml over five days in Coromandel - the equivalent of a year's worth of rain.
In an update on Monday afternoon, Civil Defence controller Garry Towler said the Thames-Coromandel Council had appointed a recovery manager who was assessing damage to the region.
Worst affected were Tairua, Onemana, Opoutere and Whangamata.
"The priority is assessing all public reserve land and infrastructure, along with visiting private property owners who have been in touch to let us know they have been greatly affected.
"We have 30 sites on our priority list to visit over the next two days. There's 12 private properties between Whangamata and Tairua that we have done structural engineering assessments on over the past few days, four of those properties have been deemed uninhabitable in the short-term."
Vehicles slowly make their way through debris and floodwater on State Highway 25 near Whangamata during last week's flooding. Photo / Alan Gibson
A water tanker outside the Puriri Pub would stay for another day as a precautionary measure against low-water pressure issues at the rural Thames Valley South water supply at the weekend.
"All water supplies are operational but we will continue to keep a close eye on Thames Valley South area as it's prone to blocking during weather events because it's not on town supply but rather a rural scheme."
In the Kaueranga Valley Department of Conservation facilities and infrastructure have been extensively damaged.
The department had closed all tracks, huts, campgrounds and the valley road from the visitor centre onwards until further notice. The visitor centre is still open.
Assessment and repairs will begin this week.
Most of the damage district-wide was from slips and flooding.
Schools and businesses were closed, roads were affected and some communities were isolated without power and water.
"This was one major weather event for us," Towler said.
It was still too early to estimate the cost, he said.
However, there is a bright spot on a dreary week: Beach Hop organisers have told the council the event is still on. The rock'n'roll festival will take place in Whangamata during five days from March 22.
Meanwhile, the clean-up continues in sodden parts of Auckland this morning.
New Lynn MP David Cunliffe tweeted his sincere thanks to the council, Civil Defence and Fire Service after Sunday's damaging downpours.
