Widespread Flooding Still Possible As More Heavy Rain Forecast

Experts have issued a new severe weather warning for Northland and are predicting another 100mm to 150mm could fall on the rain-soaked region by 10pm today (subs: Sunday 23 January).

Civil Defence officials in Northland are monitoring the situation carefully and say that if the rain does arrive in the amounts predicted by the MetService in its 9am warning, widespread flooding is possible across the region later today.

Graeme MacDonald , Civil Defence Emergency Management Senior Programme Manager for the Northland Regional Council, says parts of Northland had received almost 240mm of rain – more than two months’ worth – in just 30 hours to 6am today.

Regional Council figures show that in the 30 hour period covering all of Saturday and up until 6am today, 237mm of rain had fallen on Oakura Bay , which typically receives 106mm for the entire month of January.

Elsewhere in Northland, Purerua (north east of Kerikeri) received 159.6mm over the same period, Ngunguru’s northern hills 150.5mm, Glenbervie 140mm, Puhipuhi 139 and North Kawakawa 138.5mm.

In the region’s main centres, Whangarei had received 126mm over the same period, Kaitaia 72mm, Kaikohe 99.8 and Dargaville 42.2mm.

Mr MacDonald says as of 10am today, the Regional Council had no reports of slips and was investigating reports of flooding in the upper Awanui River , north of Kaitaia, but in general it appeared the region was coping well so far.

“It appears that while there have been some heavy falls so far, they have largely been localised to the eastern side of Northland from the Bay of Islands south to Whangarei.”

However, he says with rivers around the region continuing to rise – and the new warning forecasting up to another 150mm of rain – that amount could lead to widespread flooding later today, especially with the high tide about 11.30pm along the East Coast.

“At this stage the low is expected to move south over Northland this evening to lie just west of Auckland at midnight, then track eastwards across the North Island during Monday.”

Mr MacDonald says Civil Defence officials around the region are constantly monitoring and revising their position and are prepared to respond if required.

He repeated earlier warnings for Northlanders to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary and to keep up to date with weather forecasts

River and rainfall data from throughout Northland is also automatically posted at two hour intervals on the Regional Council’s website www.nrc.govt.nz/riversandrain

ENDS

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