Wild weather: Floodwaters and high tides to cut off eastern Coromandel

A large slip has blocked a Coromandel highway. Photo / Supplied

A lethal combination of high tides and flooding is expected to cut off parts of the Coromandel Peninsula this afternoon.

Civil Defence is pleading with holidaymakers to keep off the roads until tomorrow, saying huge volumes of traffic are putting people's lives at risk.

The Thames-Coromandel District Council is warning it's highly likely the eastern seaboard will be isolated at Hikuai and south of Whitianga in the next few hours.

The region is being deluged with more than 100mm of rain with forecasters warn it will not stop falling until tonight.

Farmers south of Whitianga are being urged to moved stock to high ground and prepare for rapidly rising rivers. Sodden ground is unable to cope with the latest drenching.

Civil Defence says high tide is expected at 3.40pm for Thames and Whitianga at 3.39pm.
Staff are expecting the worst areas affected will be south of Whitianga to Whangamata and Whiritoa.

Strong winds have felled trees in Thames and roads across the region have been closedby flooding flooding and slips.

State Highway 25 connecting Whitianga and Tairua is closed and Hikuai Settlement Rd at Pauanui is also under water.

Port Jackson Rd is closed at the 19km point by a large slip.

Thames Coromandel District Council issued a warning at midday that anyone planning to drive around the region should wait 24 hours.

A large slip has blocked a Coromandel highway. Photo / Supplied

"The entire Coromandel is getting battered and everyone needs to heed the warnings, stay off the roads and sit this out until tomorrow," said Civil Defence controller Garry Towler.

"It is going to get worse before things improve and high tide will undoubtedly bring more closures so let's not put our contractors at further risk.

"If you have plans to travel today, please reconsider. We advise you now wait it out until Friday. The risks are not worth it, it's that simple."

Towler said huge volumes of traffic not heeding warnings to stay home were complicating storm management.

Heavy rain and wind warnings are now lifted from the top of the country, but the bad weather is wreaking havoc on eastern parts of the North Island.

Heavy rain warnings and watches have been issued for the Coromandel, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne regions.

A strong wind watch remains in force for Waikato near the Kaimai Range and western parts of the Coromandel Peninsula.