Media release
Date: 20 March, 2012 Update number: 05 @ 0945hrs

Rain warning lifted, but care still needed in rain-battered north

MetService forecasters say the worst of the torrential rain that has battered Northland appears to be over, however, Civil Defence officials are urging people to continue to take extreme care over the next 24 hours until flood-swollen rivers recede.

Graeme MacDonald, spokesman for the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group, says at 9.21am today, the MetService had lifted its heavy rain warning for the region, although showers were expected to continue throughout the day.

However, Mr MacDonald says with a number of roads – including parts of the State Highway network – still closed or affected by flooding, slips and other debris or suffering bad pothole damage, authorities are urging motorists to be extremely careful.

Officials would also be keeping a close watch on another weather system which may or may not affect the region in the next day or two and would be liaising with MetService forecasters later this evening.

Mr MacDonald says police are advising State Highway One at Whakapara north of Whangarei is likely to remain closed until about lunchtime today while roading crews work to clear debris, check for damage and wait for floodwaters to recede.

Traffic is still being diverted along Apotu Rd and Jordan Valley Rd near Hikurangi, however, the detour is not suitable for trucks and heavy vehicles.

A number of other roads, mainly in the Far North and Whangarei districts, are also affected by floods and slips and work would continue on these throughout the day.

Mr MacDonald says while both the Far North and Whangarei District Councils had plans in place to activate welfare centres overnight in their areas if necessary, fortunately they had not had to do so.

High tide had passed on the east coast just before 7am today and did not appear to have caused any unforseen issues.

He says with the latest forecast, Civil Defence Emergency Operation Centres set up by the district councils would be winding down today, but skeleton crews would remain to monitor the situation.

Despite the rain easing, Mr MacDonald urges Northlanders to be aware of what rivers and streams are doing in their local areas and bear in mind that it may take 24 to 48 hours in some places before floodwaters have receded.

Northland Regional Council hydrologist Dale Hansen says while many of the region’s smaller rivers were now receding from the highs they had reached after the worst of the rain, larger rivers including Northern Wairoa and Kaihu would continue to remain very high for another day or two.

The upper reaches of the Hikurangi Swamp were also badly affected.

“The sheer volumes of water that have fallen on the catchments that feed into these larger river systems will take some days to recede back to normal levels.”

Mr MacDonald says weather-related information – including school and road closures – will continue to be posted on the Northland Regional Council website www.nrc.govt.nz until later this afternoon.

Northland Regional Council figures show from midnight Saturday until just after 6am today, 371mm of rain had fallen on the eastern hills above Kaeo, 280mm at Puhipuhi and Glenbervie in the Whangarei district and about 250 to 260mm at Ngunguru, Kerikeri and Waitangi.

That compared to the roughly 130mm to 140mm of rain which normally fell on Northland for the entire month of March.

ENDS

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