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Residents and council staff in the Far North began mopping up today after heavy rains and flooding closed several roads and wreaked havoc across the region yesterday.
Yesterday a bridge spanning State Highway 1, was swept away -- isolating about 500 people -- after heavy rains turned the waterway into a raging torrent.
Several houses on the outskirts of Kaitaia, in the Larmers Road area also remained under threat of flooding after the area received about a month's worth of rain in 48 hours.
But Far North District Council spokeswoman Alison Lees today said flooding fears had eased overnight.
The rain had now stopped and water levels were dropping.
"We're expecting it to recede as quickly as it came up," she told NZPA.
"Today will be a day of clearing roads and mopping up."
She said several roads were impassable and local residents should take extreme care on the roads.
SH1 remained impassable, but Transit was looking at bringing in a temporary Bailey bridge. That could take two to three days.
However, Transit spokesman Richard Green today said staff were reconsidering whether a Bailey bridge was feasible.
The embankment on one side of the river had collapsed meaning it would be hard to support a Bailey bridge.
The existing 12m steel bridge was intact but was impassable due because of the washed out bank.
The likely solution was to try to rebuild the bank, he said on Radio New Zealand.
The bridge was the only roadway linking the area around Cape Reinga to the rest of New Zealand.
Council staff yesterday said a route along Ninety Mile Beach could be used to get in and out, but was recommended only for residents who had a thorough knowledge of the land.
Mr Green said there was also a forestry road, but it was believed to be in poor condition.
Flooding fears in the Victoria Valley, Takahue, Fairburn and Mangamuka areas, along with the Waima and Taheke areas of the Hokianga had eased.
Further south in the Waikato yesterday slips and floods blocked roads.
Raglan Constable Jason Kahika said after six hours of heavy rain, the side of four hills had torn away and blocked roads in and around the west coast town.
Contractors had cleared the slips quickly.
The rain had eased as well, giving the streams and rivers a chance to return to their normal levels, he said.
Ms Lees said another test for the Far North would be this afternoon's high tide -- around midday -- with rivers remaining swollen as flood waters made their way down from catchment areas.
However the rain had stopped at about 10pm last night and most rivers appeared to be easing.
Council work gangs would spend the day clearing roads and drains, she said.
- NZPA
