Civil Defence

Flood water is slowly easing and roads are being cleared in Waikato and the Coromandel, but relief might be short-lived with more rain likely.

“We made the right call to declare a state of emergency. [State Highway 25A – a main highway into the region – would likely be closed for months](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131092835/coromandel-mp-warns-sh25a-may-be-out-of-action-for-months) after heavy rain and flooding caused it to collapse. The district had a few slips and surface flooding. Some parts of the Waikato River paths in Hamilton are closed due to surface flooding and are to remain so for the week as the river is expected to remain at higher levels. [Some homes in Te Kūiti had been swamped but most of the town emerged unscathed and water had started to recede on Sunday.](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300794753/some-te-kiti-homes-swamped-but-water-receding-and-community-upbeat) Robertson said the Waitomo District Council’s civil defence emergency management team had been working around the clock to monitor and manage the impact of the weather event, and would continue to do so for the next short while. The river level was rising in Te Kūiti and with additional rain forecast there was a real concern that there could be significant flooding across the township and wider district” The State of Emergency came into effect on Saturday evening and was initially to last seven days, but Robertson was satisfied the district was no longer at serious risk. Waitomo mayor John Robertson lifted the State of Emergency on Monday morning, but said the district “was not out of the woods yet”. Towler said it was hard to predict what would happen, but it looked like Northland, Auckland and Coromandel would again face the brunt of the weather. He said the whole area was flood plain, and a handful of farms near the Waihou River were known to flood. He said support from the rural community had been great, with offers of help coming from friends, neighbours, and the Rural Support Trust.