- Widespread surface flooding has hit the Wellington region and motorists have been asked to avoid non-essential travel and work from home if they can.
- Multiple roads are closed due to flooding in the Hutt, and Kāpiti residents are being warned to take care.
- Trains on the Kāpiti Line have resumed but there will be some delays, including speed restrictions
- MetService’s heavy rain warning will remain in place until 8pm tonight
Debris has been cleared and culverts unblocked on Wellington’s train network after heavy rain – allowing services to resume on the Kāpiti Line in time for this evening’s commute.
The Wellington region has been under a deluge today, with rivers and streams flooding, roads closing, and slips causing problems around the lower North Island.
Earlier concerns about the high tide this afternoon have not eventuated and the worst of the wet weather appears to be moving north.
KiwiRail metros general manager Jon Knight said given the forecast for ongoing bad weather tonight, temporary speed restrictions have been put in place at key sites on the rail network for safety.
“We will continue monitoring the line between Pukerua Bay and Paekākāriki and crews will be back tonight, once services end, to clear any debris from catchment nets.”
This section was closed before 8am due to slips.
Knight said it was prone to slips. Netting to catch any loose debris was checked and cleared by KiwiRail on Sunday evening in anticipation of the incoming weather.
However, they were refilled in the early hours of today.
“This morning a train clipped a rock on the ground that had overflowed from the netting. The train and passengers were returned to Paekākāriki. No passengers were injured and there is no damage to the train,” Knight said.
“There was also another slip near the same section of the Kāpiti Line overnight and several culverts were blocked, causing some flooding over the track.”
Metlink group manager Samantha Gain said it would take time to reset services to their normal schedules after the disruption.
The Capital Connection service was cancelled, she said.
“This evening’s return service to Palmerston North will leave from Paekākāriki. Buses will depart Wellington Station at 5.15pm to take passengers travelling north of Waikanae to Paekākāriki.”
Rain easing but forecast remains dicey
Kāpiti Coast District Council’s emergency operations controller James Jefferson said the worst of the wet weather appeared to be moving north but MetService’s heavy rain warning will remain in place until 8pm.
”The situation is looking better than it did this morning and I’m pleased to report we are ending the day in pretty good shape,” Jefferson said.
”There was overtopping of some stopbanks but these have been checked and are all intact, and there have been a few properties flooded but nothing too major thankfully.”
The high tide had not caused additional problems, he said.
However, Jefferson said another band of rain was forecast to come through in the next 24 hours, so people in flood-prone areas should be prepared to move if the situation worsened.
”It’s a good idea to clear gutters and drains, and we are expecting some wind later in the week so make sure any loose items are well-secured.
”If you’re travelling, please check the MetService forecasts tonight and in the morning before starting your morning commute.”
Raw sewage flows on to walking track
This afternoon on Facebook a user posted a video showing water flowing from underneath a manhole on Bushey Way track in Lower Hutt’s Maungaraki.
“Yes that is toilet paper, raw sewage flowing into our awa,” he wrote. Water and what appear to be pieces of toilet paper can be seen streaming down the hill.
A Wellington Water spokeswoman said staff are supporting the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office to monitor and manage the impacts of today’s heavy rainfall.
“Our crews are proactively checking drains and monitoring known hotspots to minimise disruptions. We also have teams on standby to respond to other areas as necessary,” she said.
“It’s important to remember that the region’s wastewater network is ageing, and heavy rainfall can overwhelm the network. Overflows help to minimise the risk of wastewater entering properties and reduce public health risks.”
Meanwhile, a perfect storm of high tides and torrential rain in the region means many motorists may be facing a slow trip home this evening.
Residents and commuters in the Hutt Valley, Porirua, and on the Kāpiti Coast are bracing for more rain and possible rising floodwaters after a drenched day in the lower North Island.
The Kāpiti District Council warned on social media that MetService had indicated the possibility of another heavy burst of rain between 3pm and 6pm this afternoon, coinciding with high tide and the peak travel times for commuters.
“We encourage commuters to plan ahead of their afternoon commute,” the council said.
In the Hutt, several busy roads have been closed including parts of Harcourt Werry Drive and Connolly St, meaning detours for many travellers this afternoon.
“State Highway 2 is down to one northbound lane approaching Dowse Drive interchange, due to flooding. Pass with care and expect delays northbound between Petone and Dowse Drive interchange at this time, as queues have developed,” Hutt City Council warned on social media.
The Horokiri Stream earlier burst its banks, prompting the Greater Wellington Regional Council to close Battle Hill Farm Forest Park. Otaihanga Domain is also closed due to flooding.
A resident said the river at Waikanae Beach had also burst its banks.
MetService said Waikanae recorded 35.6mm of rain in the three hours between 8am and 11am and said it was still raining “particularly heavily” now.
Porirua, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, and Featherston in Wairarapa have all experienced flooding after torrential downpours saturated the lower North Island overnight.
The emergency management office said all eyes are now on Kāpiti as the heavy rain band moves north.
“Kāpiti Coast District Council are prepped and monitoring the situation”, the office’s regional manager Jeremy Holmes said.
He said another “burst” of heavy rain was possible between 2pm and 6pm this afternoon, coinciding with high tide around 2.30pm.
The office’s advice was for people to stay inside and bring pets inside with them, and not to drive unless absolutely necessary.
“If you see rising floodwater, evacuate to higher ground immediately. Do not wait for an official warning. Never try to walk, play, swim, or drive in floodwater: even water just 30cm deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles.
“If possible, clear leaves and debris from external drains to help prevent surface flooding.”
The Kāpiti Coast District Council established an incident management team to monitor the incoming deluge.
James Jefferson said the district had already experienced surface flooding in some areas this morning
”Our streams and rivers are rising, with high tide expected at 2.30pm. We’re working closely with Wellington Region Emergency Management Office and Greater Wellington’s incident team who are fully focused on the evolving situation in the Kāpiti Coast.
”Our council are responding to a number of service requests regarding stormwater blockages and surface flooding. The community are asked to be prepared for any change in the situation, particularly those who reside in low-lying areas.”
Roads closed, houses flooded, trains suspended
The lower North Island is saturated with houses flooded, highways closed by both flooding and slips, a golf club underwater, a high school closed and trains suspended due to rockfall.
Police described it as “awful out there” and urged road users to take extra care and limit movements to essential travel.
SH2 near Petone was down to one northbound lane just before the Dowse Drive interchange, and cars were removed from the Riverbank carpark in Lower Hutt – an area beside the Hutt River prone to flooding.
The Porirua City Council said Paekākāriki Hill Rd was closed due to several slips on the Kāpiti side, and Grays Rd was also shut.
NZTA Waka Kotahi said SH58 is now fully open after earlier being closed due to a slip.
RNZ said a train travelling from Waikanae to Wellington was hit by a rockfall earlier today. No injuries were reported but passengers said they could hear the rocks hitting while going from Paekākāriki to Pukerua Bay.
Trains are still running between Wellington and Plimmerton, and Paekākāriki and Waikanae.
In Naenae in Lower Hutt, police partially blocked off Cambridge Terrace due to flooding across the entire road. A patrol car blocked off northbound access.
Part of Strand Crescent was also fully flooded with water spilling on to some properties. A local woman said while the area does flood at times it normally does not cover the entire road.
One resident was surprised to open her front door and see the flooding out on the road. She said she heard the heavy rain overnight but hadn’t realised the street was filling up.
Some cars could be seen driving through the floodwater, sending waves into nearby properties.
A Hutt City Council spokesperson said it was continuing to monitor the Hutt River level as it continued to rise amid rainfall forecast throughout the day and it was ready to respond to any further developments.
Several roads were closed in Lower Hutt, including Block Rd near Melling Station, and Harcourt Werry Drive between Mills St and Percy Cameron St.
There was also surface flooding on Eastern Hutt Rd near the Silverstream rail bridge and people were being advised to avoid the area and find alternative routes.
The council also received reports of wastewater overflow in some locations and urged people to stay out of floodwater as it may contain wastewater.
Hutt Valley High School was closed today due to a burst water main. In a post on social media, it said there was no water supply to the school.
Further north, the Judgeford Golf Club was completely flooded and was closed until further notice.
In Porirua, officials met at 8.30am to discuss the situation with the council, Fire and Emergency, and Wellington Water. A council spokesperson said Wellington Water was clearing culverts in Whitby and East Porirua and added Fire and Emergency (Fenz) was “inundated”.
They said MetService this morning expected 40mm of rain in the region across the next six hours – the main concern being around high tide at 2.19pm, with potential worries about the Pauatahanui Inlet.
Man and his dog rescued
A man and his dog were rescued after their vehicle became stuck in rising floodwaters near Porirua this morning.
Fenz shift manager Belinda Beets says one traveller earlier today found himself caught out by the weather when his vehicle got stuck on a flooded Grays Rd in Pauatahanui.
He called for help, but by the time firefighters were on their way a member of the public in a 4WD vehicle had rescued the man and his pet out of the car.
”I just think he was very lucky,” Beets said. “And good one, the person that stopped to help.”
People urged to ‘remain vigilant’ with more heavy rain to come
MetService said a heavy rain warning was in place for Wellington and the Kapiti Coast with 50 to 70mm of rain expected in the 12 hours until 6pm Monday. Thunderstorms were also possible, with peak rainfall rates of 15 to 25mm/h.
The weather agency said streams and rivers may rise rapidly and the rain could cause surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions.
Holmes said people should delay travel or work from home if they could with the wild weather set to continue for the whole day.
“Remain vigilant and, if you see flooding, please do not try to drive, walk or play in it. Keep an eye on the roads around the region and visit NZTA before you travel.”
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.
