Tolaga Bay

A severe weather warning is in place for Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Taupō.

People in the area are being told to keep off the roads and stay inside. "We are please asking our community to stay off the roads. "We evacuated seven people throughout the night. "The sheer torrential rain, thunder and lightning spectacle last night is like nothing I've ever experienced, certainly since Bola," she said. While the rivers aren't flooding at the moment, there was always the chance of flooding in the towns and cities so she urged people to check the NZTA website for the conditions of the roads. While the rivers aren't flooding at the moment, there was always the chance of flooding in the towns and cities so she urged people to check the NZTA website for the conditions of the roads. SH35 in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne, is closed due to a slip. People are being warned to stay off the roads, and anyone in immediate danger of flooding should move to higher ground, and anyone in an emergency should call 111. "Those houses have just been fixed up … one of those whānau was living in a caravan while the house was fixed up and the caravan has now flooded away." There had been "a lot" of damage to properties in the Tokomaru Bay region, including some that had only recently been fixed up after flooding last June. Tokomaru Bay had been "cut in half" due to damage on the bridge and authorities were working to get supplies across to the other side. A marae in Anaura Bay has been seriously damaged in what has been described as "biblical" flooding in the Tairāwhiti region overnight.

A state of Civil Defence emergency was declared for Tairāwhiti this morning as unrelenting rain caused mass flooding, which cut off roads, ...

“But we're working to find alternative ways to reach and fix the faults safely. “We're sending a couple of our team up in a helicopter. “More than 650 of them are still without power, and our crews are being hampered by the access issues,” an Eastland Network spokeswoman said. “Contractors are out surveying the damage and we expect to provide further updates during the day.” Any updates will also be posted on our website and Facebook page.” “It was a sleepless night. The approaches on one side of the main State Highway 2 bridge in Tokomaru Bay were badly impacted. “Fortunately the rain eased off at just the right time,” a Civil Defence spokesman said. Lockwood Road has been blocked off as well due to a slip. A hole measuring three-to-four metres wide and six metres deep across the road opened up on the approaches on the southern side and the bridge was closed. Residents in the Mangatuna area were evacuated from their homes early this morning when the Hikuwai River reached the evacuation level. Logs in the floodwaters hit the fire truck as we went across.

Widespread flooding in Gisborne overnight prompted evacuations, while locals in Tolaga Bay are breathing a sigh of relief with the worst now over.