Whangārei Heads resident Kathy Wallace said the floodwaters covering her Ross Rd driveway in Parua Bay were worse this morning than when Cyclone Gabrielle hit.
“The neighbour’s dog kennel has bent the bridge railing,” she said.
“We’re not going anywhere today.”
Kathy Wallace’s flooded driveway. Photo / Kathy Wallace
Flooding has also been reported in Whangaruru, Punaruku and Helena Bay, with residents saying access to those east coast settlements north of Whangārei has been hampered.
The Whangaruru North Residents and Ratepayers Association said Tūparehuia Marae has been opened for people needing shelter.
“There is no power at camp and some homes have flooded.”
They encourage residents, whose homes are unaffected, to stay home and avoid travel.
There are reports of people having to pull animals from the floodwaters this morning, with one person said to have lost some stock.
Helena Bay swamped by floodwaters overnight. Photo / Liv Patu
Helena Bay swamped by floodwaters overnight. Photo / Liv Patu
A separate heavy rain warning is in place for Eastern and Central Northland until noon today.
MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden told NZME some areas of Northland have recorded over 100mm of rain in the past six hours.
“Many places up there are certainly getting large amounts of precipitation, definitely enough to cause the surface flooding that people have been seeing up there.”
Lynden said the heavy rain will move eastward away from the coastal areas from about midday.
“I think it’ll continue raining for a wee while this morning but gradually move off.
“It’s looking like this afternoon there’ll still be showers about, but the intensity will be significantly less than it has been this morning.”