In pictures: The damage caused by flooding across the lower North Island

Flooding in Stokes Valley near Thomas Street. Mark Papalii/RNZ

Flooding in Stokes Valley on Saturday.
Photo: Mark Papalii/RNZ

Torrential rain over the weekend caused flooding and damage to parts of the lower North Island including Wellington, Ōhura and Porirua.

A Orange Heavy Rain Warning remained in place for The Tararua Range, Wairarapa and Tararua District south of Woodville, along with Wellington south of Tawa and the Hutt Valley and Kaikōura Coast.

Parts of the North Island were now in clean-up mode following flash flooding on Sunday, while the bad weather was expected to continue for the wider Wellington region until Tuesday night.

Flooding in Taita on 18 April 2026.

Flooding in Taita, Lower Hutt on Saturday.
Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

Flooding on SH2 Haywards Interchange, Wellington, on Saturday.
Photo: Josh Hay / Facebook

FENZ Pumping water out of properties in Avalon, Lower Hutt on 18 April 2026

Firefighters pumping water put of homes in Avalon, Lower Hutt on Saturday.
Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

Flooding in Stokes Valley 18 April 2026

Flooding in Stokes Valley on Saturday.
Photo: Facebook / Stokes Valley Volunteer Fire Brigade

SH59 Plimmerton Roundabout on Saturday.
Photo: RNZ / Warren Meech

Plimmerton residents Damo (left), Irene and Ludjen.

Plimmerton residents Damo (left), Irene and Ludjen clean-up on Saturday.
Photo: Penny Smith/RNZ

Stokes Valley Roads after the flooding.

Damage on Stokes Valley roads on Saturday.
Photo: Mark Papalii/RNZ

Flooding near a Wellington Palmers Garden Centre.

Flooding near a Wellington Palmers Garden Centre on Saturday.
Photo: Krystal Gibbens/RNZ

Flooding in Stokes Valley near Thomas Street. Mark Papalii/RNZ

Flooding in Stokes Valley near Thomas St on Saturday.
Photo: Mark Papalii/RNZ

Boat off State Highway 58 in Pāuatahanui - supplied by Kristine and Derek Thompson

A boat off State Highway 58 in Pāuatahanui during the storm on Saturday.
Photo: Supplied/Kristine and Derek Thompson

A local described part of Tawhai Street having collapsed after heavy rain.

A local described part of Tawhai St in Stokes Valley having collapsed after heavy rain on Saturday.
Photo: SUPPLIED

Porirua Nursery Sandbagging

Sandbagging at Porirua nursery on Saturday.
Photo: Samuel Rillstone/RNZ

Flooding in the Ruapehu District town of Ōhura on 19 April 2026.

Flooding in the Ruapehu District town of Ōhura on Sunday.
Photo: Supplied / Mike Crowley

Civil Defence teams are going door to door in flood prone areas of Whanganui, asking residents to prepare to evacuate.

Flooding in Whanganui on Sunday.
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin

Flood barriers in place at Kowhai Park, Whanganui.

Flood barriers in place at Kowhai Park, Whanganui on Sunday.
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin

Pāuatahanui residents are cleaning up following flash flooding over the weekend of Sunday 19 April.

Flash flooding in Pāuatahanui, Porirua on Sunday.
Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens

Volunteers cleaning up Forest & Bird Cottage in Pāuatahanui on Sunday 19 April, 2026, after flooding the day before.

Pāuatahanui residents cleaning up on Sunday.
Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens

Flooding at the old garage in Ōhura's town centre on 19 April, 2026. A local resident said by the time this photo was taken, the water had gone down about half a metre or more.

Floodwaters at Ōhura on Sunday.
Photo: Supplied/ Ross Perry

Flooding in central Wellington on Monday 20 April.

Wellington flooding on Monday morning.
Photo: RNZ / Paris Ibell

Flooding has caused cars to become stuck on Dee Street in Wellington.

Flooding on Monday caused cars to become stuck on Dee St, Wellington.
Photo: RNZ

Flooding in the Wellington suburb of Mt Cook after severe thunderstoms and downpours hit the city early on Monday 20 April 2024.

Flooding in Wellington’s Mt Cook early on Monday.
Photo: Supplied

Berhampore flooding.

Damage in the Wellington suburb of Berhampore on Monday.
Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

Residents on a Kingston street are assessing an

A landslide in Kingston, Wellington.
Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

Residents on a Kingston street are assessing an

The landslide in Kingston.
Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

Residents on a Kingston street are assessing an

The Kingston landslide brought down large amounts of dirt, rocks and trees.
Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

A car is submerged in the river mouth where the stream flows onto the beach in Ōwhiro Bay

A submerged car at Wellington’s Ōwhiro Bay.
Photo: Tess O’Connor

Flood damage on Balfour St in Mornington, Wellington.

Flood damage on Balfour St in Mornington, Wellington.
Photo: SAMUEL RILLSTONE / RNZ

Flood damage on Balfour St in Mornington, Wellington.

A pile up of dirt on Wellington’s Balfour St on Monday.
Photo: SAMUEL RILLSTONE / RNZ

Flood damage on Balfour St in Mornington, Wellington.

Residents assess damage on Balfour St.
Photo: SAMUEL RILLSTONE / RNZ

Janis McLauchlan, a resident on Wellington's Balfour St looks at the damage on Monday.

Janis McLauchlan, a resident on Wellington’s Balfour St looks at the damage on Monday.
Photo: SAMUEL RILLSTONE / RNZ

Flooding at the McLauchlan property on Balfour Street, 20 April 2026

Balfour St damage.
Photo: Jamis and Jimmy McLauchlan

Jimmy's vintage cars - 1920s Chevrolets - which he'd owned since he was a young man, were parked in the garage and badly water damaged. As was his stamp collection, which had been worth thousands, which was among the treasure trove of old items in his "man cave".