Video from across the Auckland region shows the extent of the flooding.
Video / Supplied / NZ Herald / West Auckland Emergency Volunteers / Ally Watt / Robert Mignault
Aucklanders were once again swamped yesterday as torrential rain bucketed down across the city, flooding homes, halting traffic and closing schools.
Just before 1.30pm yesterday, Mayor Wayne Brown declared a state of local emergency as a deluge hit Tāmaki Makaurau and other parts of the North Island. It followed a mobile phone alert for Auckland residents just after noon warning of the impending floods.
Auckland Council also warned properties near existing landslides may be at increased risk of further slips.
Streams and rivers across the city burst their banks and some schools and daycares across the city were evacuated.
More rain is forecast for Auckland today, with more thunderstorms possible.
The National Emergency Management Agency advised residents to shelter indoors and away from windows, secure any loose objects around their properties and check that drains and gutters are clear.
Civil Defence centres were activated in several parts of the city as residents fled their homes in fear of a repeat of the fatal Auckland Anniversary floods.
More than 90mm of rain was recorded in several parts of the city, with Henderson recording 103mm to 6pm. Auckland Emergency Management’s deputy controller Rachel Kelleher reassured residents the forecast wasn’t for as much rain as the city received during the January 27 disaster, which killed four people and caused more than a billion dollars in damage.
Fire and Emergency had 300 weather-related calls for help in the seven hours to 6pm yesterday, 286 of which were in Auckland alone. About 100 of these were classed as urgent and the rest were classed as non-urgent.
Fire and emergency personnel rescue a couple stuck in their car in flooding on the Kaipara Coast Highway. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Auckland’s wastewater network was also “overwhelmed” with rain causing overflows across the city, Watercare said yesterday. The council-controlled organisation told residents a slip had burst a water main in Warkworth and crews were on their way to repair it. Auckland’s tap water remains safe to drink.
Minister for Auckland Michael Wood met West Auckland residents, councillors and members from the “West Auckland is Flooding” group who were inundated yesterday.
He listened intently to those voicing frustration about the lack of preparation again for flooding, the uncertainty of what will happen to their houses, and the fear residents face every time it rains.
“We are working to the sort of three categorisation approach where we look to really clearly identify those areas where it isn’t going to be safe and appropriate for people to live areas and where there needs to be other mitigations and interventions to make it safe,” Wood said.
“The work is just about making sure that we’re really clear about who should be where because these are big decisions in people’s lives.”
Minister for Auckland Michael Wood talks with residents of Don Buck Rd in Henderson as the area is hit with flooding for the second time this year. Photo / Mike Scott
It was the third time West Auckland resident Ana Tuiloma and her family’s house has flooded and she no longer feels safe in her home.
”I don’t want to stay here anymore. I don’t want to die here,” she told the Herald.
Her Massey property on Don Buck Rd, which backs onto Momutu stream, was yellow stickered after the Anniversary Weekend flooding.
Tuiloma’s neighbour, Trushar Maisuria’s property also flooded - the fifth time since he bought it in 2020.
When he showed the Herald the state of his property floodwaters had already receded, leaving mud over his yard and on the floor of his garage where water had risen to about knee height this afternoon.
”I have to put on a brave face, but it’s hard. I’m the man of the house, I have three women to look after.
”But there is a limit. I just want to sit down and cry.”
Flood victim Trushar Maisuria is sick of water in his home during heavy rain in Auckland and wants answers from government and council. Photo / Mike Scott
Major transport delays plagued the flood-affected motorway network as Aucklanders attempted to flee the city early from work. Buses were detoured, ferries were cancelled and commuters faced multi-hour delays in their travels home.
Auckland Transport group manager of metro services Darek Koper asked Aucklanders to avoid travelling once they had finally made it home safely.
“For people still needing to travel home we are urging them to be extra careful, with the effects of [yesterday’s] heavy rain continuing to be felt across the city,” Koper said yesterday.
Multiple roads were closed because of the flooding across the city, mostly in north and West Auckland.
Traffic was gridlocked in Auckland. Photo / David Williams
State Highway 1 at Brynderwyn Hills is closed because of flooding, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said. The closure is a blow for motorists who only on Monday last week were able to rejoice that the state highway had been reinstated.
The storm slowly cleared from Auckland as residents were left to pick up the damage in its wake. At 5pm last night, MetService lifted the severe thunderstorm watch for Auckland but kept it in place for Bay of Plenty, Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island.
Winds will become quite strong on Wednesday with gusts frequently approaching & exceeding 70 km/h.
Given the recent rain, it may be easier for trees to come down.
It will certainly feel much colder than what we've experienced over the past week!
More intense weather is expected to reach the North Island early today, MetService said, posing a slight risk of thunderstorms across the region from Northland to the Kapiti Coast, which includes the Coromandel Peninsula.
The moderate risk then moves from the central high country to the Bay of Plenty in the morning to more eastern regions. Strong winds gusting 80 to 100 km/h and heavy rain with intensities of 10 to 25 mm/h are predicted to accompany these thunderstorms.
MetService is forecasting heavy showers about Auckland, with more thunderstorms possible. This will be accompanied by strong northerlies, turning to strong westerlies in the morning.
Strong gusts are likely to hang around in Auckland tomorrow, MetService said, but the rain will ease as a ridge of high pressure spreads over the country, bringing more settled weather on Friday and through to the weekend.
