Following high tide and steady rain our Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler is urging everyone to avoid travel again on the South Eastern seaboard roads tonight.

"We know people may be trying to head home as the school holidays come to an end, but please wait until tomorrow," he says. "Please, do NOT attempt to drive through flood water."

Roads closed

• State Highway 25A (Kopu-Hikuai) remains closed due to two large slips and is expected to remain closed overnight.
• SH25 Whangamata to Hikuai is now closed due between Hikuai and McBeth Rd and is expected to remain closed overnight (pictured right).
• Due to high tide SH 25 Hikuai to Whitianga and Hikuai Settlement Rd remains closed and may open once the tide recedes (see details on how to stay up-to-date below). However we ask that you please avoid unnecessary travel tonight.

Other updates:

• Rural property owners who require assistance with clearing obstructions please contact Waikato Regional Council to see if they are able to help.
• Coromandel Town residents please conserve water. See tcdc.govt.nz/water for more information.
• Thames Centennial Pool is closed and it will re-open at 2pm on Monday 20 July.

Stay up-to-date:

Weather updates and tide information - MetService.

State Highways (SH25, SH25A, SH26 in the Coromandel) - NZTA. You can also call NZTA on 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) for traffic and travel information. You can use their journey-planning website to plan the best route for your journey, taking into account known issues and traffic on state highways.

Council roads - We will post regular updates on our Council's Facebook page as well as on our website and email newsletters. If you see an issue that needs attention, call us on 07 868 0200.

Local radio - Check stations and frequencies here.

Red Cross Hazards App - alerts about hazards. Download from the App Store or Google Play.

Emergency Mobile Alert - these can be sent to your mobile phone, without needing to download an app or sign up. Check if your phone is capable of receiving them, here

Waikato Regional Council has set up an online hub for rainfall and flood-related information to help people more easily keep up to date with severe weather events in the region. It can be found here.

Also follow Waikato Civil Defence on Facebook here and check out their website for updates here.

Know your neighbours - phone each other in an emergency, especially vulnerable people, to check if they're OK.

To report a power outage contact your electricity retailer (the company you pay your bill to). Information about current power cuts can be found here.

For more on these channels, and other information about staying informed in emergencies, go to the Civil Defence "Never Happens" website.

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