Wellington waves: South Coast back to 'beautiful best' after 'carnage'

Thursday, 16 April 2020

Wellington's South Coast is back to its 'beautiful best' - apart from the debris and carnage caused by waves slamming into the coastline.

On Thursday morning, Ōwhiro Bay residents were out and about as the clean up continues after footpaths were lifted right up and garage doors were ripped from homes.

The mood was calm in the area after emergency services were called on Wednesday as waves more than five metres high hit the coastline, causing five homes to be evacuated. One person was swept out to sea, sustaining moderate injuries.

On Thursday morning, police cordons remained in Ōwhiro Bay from overnight and people who had been evacuated would be returning to their homes.

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Robb Noble, whose home is just west of the bridge at Ōwhiro Bay, was one of those evacuated, at about 11am on Wednesday.

Ōwhiro Bay resident Robb Noble is back at home after his overnight evacuation.

His home usually avoided the worst of storm surges with the stream in front of his home dissipating the waves - but not on Wednesday.

Waves continue to roll in at Lyall Bay after wild waves smashed into Wellington's South Coast on Wednesday.

'We were standing on the road - the next minute you are in the sea,' he said.

He was out helping neighbours when a 'freak wave', then more, filled his garage and workshop containing tools and motorbikes.

While he had insurance there was still a big clean-up ahead and a lot of damage. Nature had calmed by Thursday morning.

Wellington City Council has asked residents to stay away which included dog walkers, cyclists and runners as clean up began on Thursday morning.

'Ōwhiro Bay is back to being its beautiful best, the sea is calm. It is carnage.'

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said there was an inspection at high tide on Thursday morning and last night.

'We are not aware of any further damage overnight as the waves did not appear to be coming over the road at high tide,' he said.

Footpaths were ripped up by the waves on Wednesday.

Breaker Bay Rd, The Esplanade between Island Bay and Happy Valley Rd, and Ōwhiro Bay Rd to Red Rocks were closed and likely to be closed for the rest of Thursday.

The road between Moa Pt and Breaker Bay was closed while debris was cleared and repairs were made as tar seal was lifted in some areas.

Roads remained closed as the clean up begins.

Anyone who needed to get between Ōwhiro Bay and Island Bay should use Robertson St and Severn St.

Crews were using heavy machinery and anyone who came to look at the damage would be turned away.

Ōwhiro Bay resident Viv Reid stands above the damage to the front of her home.

'We need everyone, including residents to stay away – no dog walkers, runners, cyclists.'

'Council contractors are continuing to move large amounts of rock, gravel, driftwood and seaweed from the roadways and will have 'sucker' trucks on hand to clear roadside drains that have become full of debris,' MacLean said.

'Contractors are also helping residents clear access to their houses where necessary. Council engineers will do further checks of the sea frontage, roadways and infrastructure in the next couple of days to determine the full extent of any wave damage or erosion.'

Undermined footpaths at Ōwhiro Bay after Wednesday's wild waves.

Residents who had been evacuated would be returning to their homes on Thursday, he said.

In Lower Hutt, rocks were scattered across people's driveways and the wooden boardwalk at Days Bay had been damaged.

For many residents, the clean up began after high tide on Wednesday.

Hutt City Council's maintenance contracts manager John Middleton said while roads were cleared and traffic was free-flowing, the clean up was going to take more than a day.

Drains would need to be cleaned and there was still a lot of residue strewn on footpaths, he said.

Storm surge rockets over the road in Ōwhiro Bay, damaging and inundating several houses on Wednesday.

Contractors, road sweepers, trucks and loaders were working full time to get the area back to normal.

Middleton said people who were out and about were encouraged to keep a safe distance so workers could get on with it.

MetService meteorologist Andy Best said Wednesday's huge waves were not very common.

'Maybe every three years, we will see something similar to this and it depends on the orientation of the swell.'

If the swell was more southerly, then we would be more likely to see it in Wellington, he said.

'Most of it has all gone away really.'

On Thursday, the forecast from Castlepoint showed a southwesterly 4m swell was easing, and in the Cook Strait a 3m southerly swell was also easing.

The swells from Wednesday lasted for a long period of time - about 12 to 13 seconds - from one crest to another. They usually last 5 to 6 seconds.

'Long swells can cause damage.'

WHAT CAUSED THE LARGE WAVES?

On Wednesday, Niwa forecaster Ben Noll said the waves were caused by a deep area of low pressure passing the Chatham Islands.

'For Wellington, the highest waves are expected to last into the mid-afternoon before easing this evening,' Noll said.

Niwa's monitoring buoy at Baring Head had recorded a maximum wave height of 5.5m so far.

'When large waves break, there is an increase in wave set-up. The water level becomes elevated, allowing waves to come further inland. This is in addition to having slightly elevated tides on the back of king tides a few days ago.'

When combined with a deep low pressure system and strong winds, this increased the risk for coastal erosion and flooding along exposed coastlines, he said.