Media release
Date: 19 March, 2012 Update number: 03 @ 1415hrs

Floods mean caution still needed, Northlanders told

Civil Defence officials say Northlanders cannot afford to be complacent about today’s weather, with rain-swollen rivers expected to continue to flood in places and a number of roads still impassable.

Graeme MacDonald, spokesman for the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group, says although the rain had eased across much of the region over the past several hours, the volume of rain that had fallen before then was still impacting

Advice for people to stay off the roads – and not attempt to negotiate any flooded sections - remains in place.

Northland Regional Council hydrologist Dale Hansen says rivers are continuing to rise in some parts of the region, particularly those south of Kaikohe.

“At 2pm today, levels in the upper reaches of the Kaeo, Kerikeri and Waitangi river catchments were easing, however, the lower reaches were continuing to rise due to the large amounts of rain earlier in the day.”

Mr Hansen says south of Kaikohe, larger rivers such as the Mangakahia and Wairua – which feed into the west coast via the Northern Wairoa River - would continue to rise for the rest of the day and into tomorrow.

He says flooding was still occurring in those areas and would continue in the usual susceptible places.

Mr MacDonald says on the east coast, officials would be monitoring for the effects of the high tide due about 6pm today.

“At this stage, even though the rain has eased, there’s a risk that rivers flowing to the east coast could rise again later, especially if the 100 to 150mm of rain forecast by the MetService earlier today does eventuate.”

Mr Hansen says with more than two months’ worth of rain falling in many areas already, the intensity of the rainfall over the next few hours will be crucial.

“Any impact on Whangarei’s Central Business District will depend on the period the forecast rain falls over; but at this stage that CBD area is unlikely to flood if the rain comes over a number of hours, rather than in a concentrated burst of one or two hours.”

Mr MacDonald says with a number of schools either closed, or closing early, Civil Defence was advising parents and other workers who could to head home early to do so, preferably well before dark and today’s next high tide about 6pm.

A number of roads remain blocked by floodwaters and fallen trees – including several parts of the region’s State Highway network - and authorities are urging people who are heading home to be extremely careful.

Police are reminding motorists that floodwaters could obscure damage to roads and they should not attempt to drive through floodwaters.

Mr MacDonald says information about the weather generally – including warnings, road closures and other information – will be posted as it comes to hand on the Northland Regional Council’s website: www.nrc.govt.nz

He says Civil Defence officials will monitor the situation throughout the day and work with local authorities, emergency services and others as necessary.

ENDS

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