Weather: Helicopter checks flooded Feilding after heavy overnight rain forces evacuations

A helicopter will fly over Feilding to assess the damage from flooding in the region overnight.

At least 114 homes have flooded in Feilding after heavy rain, with that number expected to rise as heavy rain continues to batter the area.

Five people in Feilding were evacuated to a St John Ambulance hall last night but accommodation has since been found for them.

Rain has battered the Wellington region since the beginning of December. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Manawatū District Council communications officer Ben Caldwell said there were also reports of damaged homes in the Reureu Valley, with some roads impassable.

He says anyone who is without power, or has been cut off and needs help should put a bedsheet on their front lawn to alert the helicopter to check on them.

Caldwell says a number of roads are closed or affected by flooding, which can be seen on a map on social media. The only way in or out of Feilding is through State Highway 54, with surrounded roads closed by rain.

SH54 BEACONSFIELD TO VINEGAR HILL, MANAWATU-WHANGANUI - FLOODING - 6:45AM
Due to flooding and slips, SH54 is closed between McKays Line and the intersection of SH1 and SH54. Please delay your journey or use SH1 and SH3 as an alternate route. ^DL pic.twitter.com/eH6Hz0AqR4

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Central North Island (@WakaKotahiCNI) December 15, 2021

After Feilding, SH54 is closed between Mckays Line and the intersection with SH1 due to slips and flooding, and SH56 is also closed between Tane Rd and SH57.

UPDATE 6:15AM, THU 16 DEC
SH56 remains CLOSED. Continue to follow the detour or delay your journey. Thank you for your ongoing patience. ^DL https://t.co/RYEz5ZH3EI

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Central North Island (@WakaKotahiCNI) December 15, 2021

There are no weather warnings or watches for the area but rain is forecast throughout the day, sometimes growing heavy before becoming more sporadic in the evening.

Thunderstorms and hail are also possible for the region.

☁It has been a dull start to summer in #Wellington, with only 42.6 hours recorded during the first two weeks. The first two days of the month were quite sunny, so from the 3rd to the 14th there were just 18.9 hours of sunshine, or around 1h 35m per day. ^PL pic.twitter.com/w5M7UUdNCv

— MetService (@MetService) December 14, 2021

The Wellington region has been inundated with rain since the start of December, with just four dry days recorded this month so far.