Torrential rain flooded homes in Mangapapa and Riverdale in Gisborne, waking residents at 3.30am. Video/ Kory Moorcock / Sarah Adams
Gisborne residents were forced to evacuate homes before dawn this morning as heavy rain caused creeks to rise up to two metres and drains to flood.
Families in Mangapapa were woken at 4.30am as police went door-to-door checking on residents, with the House of Breakthrough opened as an evacuation centre again, Gisborne District Council said.
This new round of heavy rain is causing more strife on the North Island’s east coast, with “severe flooding” in Gisborne and at least two major highways closed - including State Highway 5 into Napier.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence controller Phil Nickerson said as well as Mangapapa a bridge before Bushy Knoll turnoff in Tiniroto had also been seriously damaged.
A large dropout on Lavenham Rd had appeared making it down to one lane.
He said the national State of Emergency for Hawke’s Bay and the surrounding region being extended for seven more days would give them time to continue their response to the recent weather events.
The rain overnight has also resulted in State Highway 2 closing at Whatatutu at the Puha intersection. State Highway 35 is also closed between Ruatorea and Tikitiki due to a massive slip near Tikitiki.
Fire and Emergency (FENZ) have closed also roads in and around the areas from Lytton High School to Winter St.
Ormond Rd resident Helen Amanda told the Herald she noticed water surrounding her property at 4am.
”My daughter called us because the police woke them, alerting us to flood. Police told us we need to be ready to leave.
”We are starting to feel trapped and a bit hopeless because there’s nothing you can do to stop the weather.”
Valley Rd after a flash flood in Mangapapa, Gisborne overnight. Photo / Matt Dawson February 28, 2023
Amanda said some people had metre-high water go through their houses.
”It was up to our knees. It is slowly draining away but our house is a little raised so we are very lucky.”
Mangapapa resident Matt Dawson said the situation in the area was very serious last night, with many evacuations throughout the night.
”Surf life-saving boats were deployed. The water was very high. The water has subsided but drains are blocked causing more flooding.”
Kory Moorcock tried to evacuate from his Shelley Rd home but couldn’t get far because a bridge was flooded.
Moorcock told the Herald he was woken up at 3.30am by non-stop downpours, he looked outside and the water was up to his front door, two metres higher than what the creek usually runs at.
Gisborne resident Helen Amanda's Ormond Rd property flooded this morning. Photo / Helen Amanda February 28, 2023
“It is pretty crazy. When Hale came it was halfway up from our doors, a metre above the banks; the last cyclone water didn’t come up, and this time it’s just bad.
“We tried to evacuate, but the bridge to get to town was underwater. There is no way to get a vehicle out there.
“It feels like you don’t get a break.”
The MetService rain radar as at 5.50am on Tuesday. Source / MetService
Riverdale resident Sarah Adams lives on Parkview Pl told the Herald that although she had not been evacuated, the floodwaters had entered her property.
”I have gumboots on, the water is up to my knees.
”Luckily our home is safe, only the garage is flooded.
MetService have issued an orange heavy rain warning for Gisborne, saying a further 30 to 40 mm of rain on top of what has already fallen is expected to fall throughout the day into the early afternoon.
Gisborne and Wairoa Districts now under Orange Heavy Rain Warning
Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence is asking people to keep off the roads if possible, with surface flooding in several parts of the region.
“Avoid driving through any floodwaters. Keep off the roads if possible. If you are out on the road, drive to the conditions and expect delays and hazards.”
The new wave of heavy rain comes as the newest tropical cyclone in the Pacific has now been named, but forecasters expect it to pass by New Zealand without “major impact” as parts of the North Island recover from deadly Cyclone Gabrielle.
Fiji’s MetService named the weather system Tropical Cyclone Judy yesterday as it sat north of Vanuatu - just as authorities here extended states of emergency around the North Island.
Niwa said the latest modelling yesterday morning showed the storm missing New Zealand.
Given it was still almost a week out, it would be monitored closely, Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said.
And while most projections point to it missing New Zealand, there is a chance that could change, he said.
Following the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle, Tairāwhiti Civil Defence said water quality at the region’s beaches continued to test poorly with high bacteria levels as far as Wainui and Makorori.
Residents were asked to continue conserving water even as small businesses such as bars, restaurants and hairdressers were allowed to operate using reduced mains supplies.
“From [today] water will go back on for around 200 residents on the pipeline between Makaraka, opposite the school, and lower Waingake Rd. These residents are mainly in Manutuke,” Civil Defence said.
“Today our reservoirs have built up, but we’re certainly not out of the woods yet. We have not had damage like this to our main water pipeline since Cyclone Bola in 1988.
“While we’re focusing on our community’s drinking water first, we’re also very aware it’s really important to have industry back in operation as soon as possible. So please continue to keep water demand down.”
Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty extended the states of emergency in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Tairāwhiti, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay and the Tararua District.
It would not be extended in Bay of Plenty, as the local council was able to manage its recovery within its “business as usual” operations, McAnulty said.
“The states of national emergency are being regularly reviewed and I anticipate that some areas still covered by the declaration will transition to recovery before March 7.
“Thousands of people are still unable to return to their homes due to flood damage, and tragically 11 people are known to have lost their lives,” McAnulty said.
