{"id":388924,"date":"2026-04-20T15:47:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/388924\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T15:47:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:47:15","slug":"sunlive-thunderstorm-bop-school-closes-amid-flooding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/388924\/","title":{"rendered":"SunLive – Thunderstorm: BOP school closes amid flooding"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Thunderstorms lit up the sky over Eastern Bay of Plenty, with one resident saying there seemed to be two storms this morning.<\/p>\n


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\u014ch\u014dpe resident Damian Rahmann said the storm seemed to last around an hour from 6.45am, with an earlier storm hitting around 12.30am.<\/p>\n


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\u201c[It was] a double wake-up call from Mother Nature. There were periods of torrential rain and strong winds that went along with it at times too,\u201d Rahmann said.<\/p>\n


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Whakat\u0101ne District Council said there was surface flooding on several streets with teams clearing slips and managing areas where water was still receding.<\/p>\n


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\u201cPlease take extra care near waterways, low-lying areas, and known trouble spots.\u201d<\/p>\n


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So far today, 16.6mm of rain has fallen in Whakat\u0101ne with a today forecast of 41.3mm expected.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

According to the MetService website, 12.8mm of rain fell in one hour from 8am.<\/p>\n


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The general forecast for Bay of Plenty and Rotorua today is for showers, possibly heavy with squally thunderstorms, hail and possible downpours.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

It comes as the clean-up\u00a0continues today after a tornado \u2013 or possibly tornadoes \u2013 ripped through Tauranga early yesterday<\/a>.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Damage was reported in \u014ct\u016bmoetai, the central city, Maungatapu and Welcome Bay.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

The damage included roofs torn off, trees snapped and a cabin lifted on to a car.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

\"DownedDowned trees on the road outside Maungatapu Marae after the Tauranga tornado. Photo \/ Rosalie Liddle Crawford<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

State Highway 2 through the Waioweka Gorge is closed this morning after additional slips came down overnight.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said the road would remain closed until it was safe enough for crews to clear.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

\"TheThe Waioweka Gorge is closed due to slips and fallen trees. Photo \/ NZTA<\/p>\n

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