Region escapes flooding

Northland has come perilously close to a repeat of the July floods of last year and 2007.

The Northland Regional Council says it is not uncommon for north easterly weather patterns to bring 15 to 35 millimetres of rain to eastern parts of Northland, in short bursts.

Hydrology programme manager Dale Hansen says this system brought steady rain for about 36 hours but fortunately it was not too heavy. Mr Hansen says another five to ten millimetres an hour would have caused rivers to rise more rapidly, and flooding could have been more serious.

Early MetService predictions of the wild weather helped the council prepare for and monitor the situation.

Meanwhile the fire service has dealt with over 100 weather related incidents since 6am.

Spokesman Jaron Phillips says calls have been flooding in, and amongst the damage firefighters have attended to has been landslips, roofs lifting off houses, and garages and sheds blowing over. He says the wind has brought down power lines in the Far North and Coromandel.

Jaron Phillips says all incidents are North Island-based and as a result of 120-kilometres an hour wind gusts.

- Newstalk ZB