Weekend's heavy rain petering out

Bryan Hart needed heavy pumps and sandbags to protect his Hamilton home after heavy rain. Photo / Christine Cornege

Outside washing lines can be swung back into action as heavy rain that flooded parts of the country peters out and turns to sunshine this week.

Falls of more than 200mm swamped parts of the eastern North Island over the weekend, cutting off rural communities in Gisborne and causing a number of slips and evacuations.

Fifteen people trapped by rising water were airlifted to safety and motorists coming from the Bay of Plenty were turned back.

Just north of Te Karaka more than 30 people were stranded when water and debris buckled a bridge on the Waipaoa River.

Eight people were trapped in Hawkes Bay bush by a rising river overnight on Sunday.

But drought-stricken Northland farmers welcomed the rain after some of the driest conditions in years. Some properties received 60mm of rain yesterday, but farmers told Television New Zealand it was not enough to make a difference.

Weatherwatch head analyst Philip Duncan said about 50mm had fallen across parts of the region, which was healthy but not a drought-breaker.

By late morning yesterday all roads were cleared and open and the MetService heavy rain warning lifted.

Forecaster Gerard Barrow said the North Island was in for largely settled, sunny weather for the rest of the week.

"It's becoming more settled from Wednesday on," he said. "Predominantly for the North Island you are looking at settled weather."

Cloudy periods and showers would continue in eastern parts of the North Island, especially in Northland, but die off by the end of the week.

In Auckland it would be mainly fine from tomorrow with muggy days in the mid-20s, he said.

Meanwhile, some of those affected by the downpours were still mopping up. Hamilton resident Bryan Hart had firefighters and council staff at his Morris St house until midnight on Sunday, pumping out 9000 litres of water. It had rained all day and at 9pm he gave up and called for help.

"The ground water kept rising and rising even when it [the rain] stopped," he said. "It was about [30cm] deep where the lowest [property] point is and [60cm] deep in the drain."

Firefighters worked with two specialist pumps before council workers put sandbags across the house and brought in the hydrotech truck.

SODDEN SPOTS

Rainfall over weekend, MetService

* Hikuwai (north Gisborne) - 240mm
* Te Pohue (Hawkes Bay) - 240mm
* Pukeorapa (Hawkes Bay) - 139mm
* Hamilton - 82mm
* Napier - 70mm