Comment: Heavens open and flood parts of city

Water, water, everywhere - nor any drop to drink.

Apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, but Rotorua saw some pretty terrible weather overnight Tuesday and yesterday morning. I felt like the Ancient Mariner of the famous poem while walking in some of the worst hit areas of the city.

While out on the job with photographer Stephen Parker we witnessed some of the worst flooding we have seen in our time here.

Rotorua's stormwater system can usually cope with a seasonal deluge or two, but yesterday the rain just kept coming - seemingly getting heavier by the minute.

We found ourselves near the Waiwhero Stream which had burst its banks and flooded houses and streets near the end of Barnard Rd and around the aptly named Aquarius Dr area.

Residents said it was the worst they had seen in ages.

Basements were flooded, property destroyed, and in one instance we saw a car with water half-way up its doors - a total loss.

The park around the stream was completely under water - only the ducks and a local dog seemed to be enjoying the conditions.

Water was up to our knees - and higher in places - as we trudged through the wet looking for people to speak to and offer help if needed.

Worried residents took to the streets as they watched water levels rise and rise looking skyward in hope the rain would stop and spare their properties.

Some were lucky with their homes just centimetres from the rising tide before the heavens relented and the rain stopped.

One Barnard Rd man I spoke to was watching as the water inched its way up closer and closer to his front door before it stopped - his garage was already flooded out.
Driveways and garages were full of water, backyards resembled swimming pools and the roads looked like wide rivers.

But, as the rain stopped the water started rapidly receded and as quickly as it came it started disappearing leaving mud, silt and debris in its wake.

Thankfully, there was not an albatross to be seen.