Much More Rain Expected Overnight – Avoid Driving If Possible
Another 170mm of rain is expected to fall overnight, on top of the 100mm or more that has already fallen over the past 20 hours on the Coromandel.
We will be approaching 300mm for this event with most of it falling along the east coast of the Coromandel.
With high tide not until midnight, this photo recently taken by one of our Council staff on State Highway 25 at Hikuai indicates a road closure there soon is likely.
“We urge everyone to exercise extreme caution and avoid any travel on the highways if possible, especially after dark,” says our Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler.
“This amount of rain is certain to cause slips and further flooding, mainly across the east coast side, so get to somewhere safe and hunker down overnight. We will have staff and contractors out at first light to carry out a rapid impact assessment so we will be able to provide an update in the morning”.
Check our Council website and Facebook page for updates on Council roads, Waka Kotahi for State Highways and MetService for weather updates.
Here's the latest Heavy Rain Warning from MetService:
Severe Weather
Warnings
Heavy Rain Warning for
Coromandel Peninsula - Orange
Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.
Issued: 3.00pm Wednesday, 14th
December 2022
Area: Coromandel Peninsula and western Bay
of Plenty about and west of Tauranga including Kaimai-Mamaku
ranges