Six people rescued from cars in Coromandel flooding

File photo / Herald on Sunday

People driving in the sodden north of the country are being urged to take extra care on the roads after two cars became stranded in Coromandel floodwaters this morning.

The cars, one with two occupants the other with a family of four, became stuck in the rising water on Kauaeranga Valley Road and had to be rescued by firefighters about 11.30am.

No one was hurt in the incident, but Thames police Sergeant Jim Corbett said it was a timely reminder for people not to drive on flooded roads.

"If there's a big puddle ahead of you don't drive through it or someone is going to get swept away and drowned."

Mr Corbett said it was still raining quite heavily in the area and urged people to keep an eye on weather reports and road closures.

State Highway 25 at Manaia, at western Coromandel, was closed because of flooding, and the New Zealand Transport Authority urged caution for those driving along the Thames coast where slips were also causing some problems.

Firefighters dealt with dozens of calls across Northland, Auckland and Waikato overnight, mostly for fallen trees and power lines, as heavy rain and gales lashed the top of the country.

However, northern fire communications centre shift manager Brent Dunn said it had not been as busy as expected today, with just a handful of calls coming in.

The bad weather is expected to continue for the first few days of the school holidays.

MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said a front caused by a deep low over the north Tasman Sea was expected to move slowly south from today through to Wednesday.

Gisborne and Hawke's Bay would bear the brunt of the heavy rain, with 200mm to 250mm expected in the ranges and 80mm to 130mm in lower-lying areas until Wednesday.

Heavy rain was also expected in parts of Northland, Coromandel and western Bay of Plenty until tonight.

Strong winds would reach further south from tonight through Wednesday, with gales expected in parts of eastern Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Horowhenua and the Kapiti Coast.

- NZPA