Missing duo found in flooded valley

6.00pm UPDATE

A 79-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy who went missing in a flooded South Taranaki valley were found safe and well by helicopter crews tonight.

The pair had been living at an isolated marae in the deluged Waitotara Valley, and had been missing for most of today, South Taranaki civil defence officials said.

A stranded telecommunications worker who had also been missing in the valley since the weekend, had been picked up today, civil defence co-controller Phil Waite told NZPA from the team's base at Waverley.

Two girls, aged about 13, were also flown out of the valley today after becoming stranded while visiting friends.

A helicopter tonight completed flights to 30 Waitotara valley families cut off by flood waters, to assess their needs and deliver supplies , Mr Waite said.

A state of emergency remained in South Taranaki tonight, as the region prepared for more heavy rain forecast for tomorrow and Saturday, Mr Waite said.

Prime Minister Helen Clark flew over Manawatu and South Taranaki in an air force Iroquois today later describing the flood damage as the worst in 100 years.

As Wanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, Wellington and Marlborough continued with clean-ups from weekend floods today, the MetService delivered the bad news.

As much as 200mm fresh rain could land in parts of the lower North Island over the next three days.

Severe wind and heavy rain warnings were issued tonight, as an active front moved towards New Zealand.

Heavy rain would arrive in Fiordland tomorrow morning and move through Nelson, to the west of the North Island tomorrow afternoon," MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said.

"Northwesterly winds ahead of this front are likely to reach severe gale force over a large area of the southern North Island during tomorrow (Thursday) evening."

Yet another active weather system was expected on Saturday, bringing gales to eastern areas south of Hawke's Bay and heavy rain again to high ground in western areas about and south of Taranaki.

About 1800 houses in the Manawatu-Wanganui region, which yesterday declared a regional state of emergency, were still without power tonight, after lines were damaged by flooding and slips.

Lines company PowerCo said about 40,000 electricity consumers and 6000 gas users had been affected since the weekend storm.

In Horowhenua, police were horrified to find motorists stopping on State Highway 1's Whirokino Bridge, 6km south of Foxton, to view the raging flooded river below.

"This is extremely dangerous and we urge motorists to keep the state highway clear," Sergeant Andre Kowalczyk, of the police central communications centre said.

State Highway 2 connecting Upper Hutt and Wairarapa over the Rimutaka range was on the brink of closure tonight, with winds becoming stronger, Mr Kowalczyk said.

NGC Holdings was today inspecting a flood-battered pipeline in the Hawke's Bay that some 6000 customers in Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa with disrupted gas supplies.

The pipeline was on a bridge over the Pohangina River, but rising floodwaters swept the bridge away on Monday and left the pipe adrift.

In Manawatu, Feilding residents were today told they could be without a water supply for at least another three days.

The subsiding Oroua River revealed yesterday it had smashed the Newbury Line bore main and carried away a linked underground pipe, which crossed the river.

Manawatu District Council water manager Brett Chapman said the council had invoked powers under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act which meant Tranz Rail had to allow the council to attach a water main to the rail bridge over the Oroua River.

Civil defence volunteers and the army today continued to deliver almost 50 tonnes of bottled water to the town's 5000 households, while people lined up to get water from trucks at four key locations in the town.

In Rangitikei, sewage treatment settling ponds in Bulls have been washed down the Rangitikei River and residents have no sewage services.

Bulls' water supply is also contaminated and water pressure is low, but Marton's sewerage treatment plant was saved by frantic sandbagging by air force staff.

Tranz Rail spokeswoman Sue Foley said today the main trunk line between Auckland and Wellington was still washed out north of Taihape and it was possible the two 20m sections of damaged track would not be fixed for several days.

Picton Harbour was extremely discoloured tonight from floodwaters and sewage, and people were advised not to swim or gather shellfish there, Marlborough civil defence controller Steve Jones said today.

- NZPA