11 Mar 2017

What you need to know: Northern weather

12:40 pm on 11 March 2017

Heavy rain overnight has caused evacuations, flooding and road closures. Here's a list of what is affecting the north of the country.

Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, and Northwest Nelson all have a severe weather warning in place.

Kaitaia and Auckland city both had record downpours overnight, with Auckland receiving 27.6mm between 5pm and 6pm, and Kaitaia receiving 44.6mm between 3am and 4am, according to NIWA.

Auckland - Power cuts, water concerns, cup day postponed, Clevedon roads closed

  • In Clevedon, the Alfriston - Ardmore Road, Twilight Road and Tourist Road have been closed due to flooding
  • More than 1100 Auckland homes are affected by power cuts, with about 780 in Titirangi expected to be up and running about 1pm, and 304 expected to have power by midday
  • About 30 homes and basements around Auckland have been flooded, mostly in Mount Roskill and North Shore
  • Aucklanders have been asked to reduce their daily water usage by 20 litres, after water going into the city's largest treatment plant at Ardmore was muddied by silt and sediment due to the downpour
  • The water system has been coping with the latest deluge, according to Auckland mayor Phil Goff, who has been touring the area surveying damage
  • Watercare said that while the supply is safe to drink for now, a Boil Water notice may need to be introduced if too much water is used
  • Auckland Cup Day races at Ellerslie have been postponed until Thursday evening
  • There are a small number of houses affected by cuts in Herne Bay and Northcote
  • In Kawakawa Bay, 16 homes have been without power for more than 56 hours, with heavy rain making the area inaccessible

Coromandel - Flooding, roads closed

  • State Highway 25 closed in both directions between Harry Watt Drive and Port Road
  • Warnings of several slips on SH25 and SH25A
  • Because of closures, Thames and Whitianga are cut off from the south, and Pauanui is blocked with Hikuai Settlement Road impassable
  • Motorists also being told to take care on the Coast road north of Thames due to small slips
  • State Highway 26 between Paeroa and Kopu has reopened

Northland - Evacuations, power out

  • Far North Civil Defence said about 1200 people were without power, though that was expected to be restored shortly
  • Vector said about 45 homes were without power in Kaipara Flats and Whangateau
  • Civil Defence co-ordinator Bill Hutchinson said two homes were evacuated after a heavy burst of rain around 3am
  • Minor surface flooding remains in Northland, but the rain had subsided
  • He said crews would be assessing a number of slips after sunrise - including reports of a large slip west of Kaitaia with cars stuck behind it
  • The State Highway 15 Twin Bridges are blocked in both directions, with detours in place
  • State Highway 1 between Church Road and Clough Road in Kaitaia closed due to a large slip
  • The MetService heavy rain warning has been lifted

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