Road reopens after rescue as storm hits Hawke’s Bay

A social media image of flooding on SH2 between Whakaki and Nuhaka, in northern Hawke's Bay, on Tuesday afternoon. Photo / Facebook� — A social media image of flooding on SH2 between Whakaki and Nuhaka, in northern Hawke's Bay, on Tuesday afternoon. Photo / Facebook

Volunteer firefighters carried out a rescue from highway floodwaters in Northern Hawke’s Bay as the first storm of the winter headed into a region still heavily suffering from Cyclone Gabrielle 15 months ago.

With flooding reported in several other places throughout New Zealand, a Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said firefighters assisted one person from a car that was stuck in floodwaters on State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Nuhaka about 2.30pm on Tuesday.

It came about the time NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi closed the highway because of floodwaters 2km southwest of Nuhaka, one social media post showed vehicles struggling through flooding over the highway at Kokohu.

Flooding also closed the road further north at Whakaki, but the highway was reported to be open again about 5.30pm.

The Wairoa District Council was calling also for minimal use of toilet flushing, showers and baths, saying Wairoa’s wastewater system was overwhelmed by the heavy rain.

By mid-afternoon more than 35mm of rain had been recorded on Tuesday in the town, but there were heavier falls recorded in inland ranges, including over 200mm at Parks Peak in the Ruahine Ranges.

Over 120mm in parts of the Kaweka Ranges west of Napier and Hastings, 90mm at the Gwavas Forest headquarters, almost 70mm at Glengarry, northwest of Napier, and at Omakere, in Central Hawke’s Bay southeast of Hastings. Over 40mm had been recorded at Magaorapa, near Porangahau.

About 35mm had fallen at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Napier CBD station, and just under 30mm had been recorded at Bridge Pa, near Hastings.

A sign of things to come as the trees start to bend in Havelock North after a rainy and windy night. Photo / Paul Taylor

Heavy rain had been forecast since at least late last week and a Metservice heavy rain watch in place for Tairāwhiti was expected to be lifted late on Tuesday afternoon, but national weather agency Metservice, in a warning issued on Tuesday morning, expected 150 to 200mm of rain in areas south of State Highway 5 (Napier-Taupo road) by Thursday morning, mainly about the hills and ranges.

Peak rates of 20 to 30 mm/h had been expected during the day, and further rain was possible through to late Thursday, with a possible extension of the warning.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand said five crews had been at Western Rd providing help to those self-evacuating, and police said two lines company workers saved a motorist from floodwaters south of Rotorua.

They said a motorist had contacted emergency services about 1pm, with the vehicle submerged to the roof and floating into deeper water as a helicopter and water rescue team were being sent to the area.

Select students from Tolaga Bay Area School, north of Gisborne, were sent home due to a risk their bus route could become flooded.