State of emergency declared for flood-hit region
The declaration was made at 4.47pm today by Tasman Mayor Tim King.
MetService said there had been more rain for the district at the top of the South Island overnight on Wednesday, and more was to come.
Orange heavy rain warnings are in place for three areas and could be upgraded to red, the highest warning.
• Tasman District, northwest of Motueka, from 9am until 9pm on Friday. Forecast: expect 120 to 150 mm of rain. Peak rates of 20 to 30mm per hour expected during the afternoon.
• Tasman and Nelson districts about and southeast of Motueka and north of Lake Rotoroa from 9am on Friday until 1am on Saturday. Forecast: expect 80 to 100mm of rain. Peak rates of 10 to 20mm per hour expected in the afternoon and evening.
• Marlborough northwest of the Awatere Valley, from 9am on Friday until 1am on Saturday. Forecast: Expect 80 to 100 mm of rain. Peak rates of 10 to 20mm per expected in the afternoon and evening.
Tasman Nelson Civil Defence said the declaration was a pre-emptive step due to existing conditions in the region, following recent severe weather.
"The declaration ensures that the response to any incoming weather tomorrow can be swift, to try and minimise the impact to people and property," Nelson Tasman Civil Defence said this afternoon.
Nelson Tasman Emergency Management has been activated and will monitor conditions. The front was expected to reach the Nelson Tasman from 9am on Friday, with the worst of the weather expected about midday.
"This includes heavy rainfall and potentially strong winds. People are being asked to be ready for the incoming weather and should make plans today before the weather arrives tomorrow."
Stock should be moved to higher ground, and people should keep clear of waterways as they could rise rapidly if heavy rainfall was to occur. Care needs to be taken around trees, as there is the chance of trees toppling with strong winds and the existing sodden ground conditions. It is recommended that people stay off the roads and avoid unnecessary travel, as road conditions will be slippery.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane told RNZ's Morning Report programme today there had been upwards of 50mm of rain in parts of the region in the last 12 hours
"Overnight, it was bit of a wet night. Obviously, not quite as wet as we've seen recently certainly. But in the last 12 hours, in the ranges, but actually most of those areas in Tasman, have seen upwards of 50 millimetres ... and elsewhere, between about 20-40 millimetres.
"Definitely quite noticeable numbers that we've seen so far."
Makgabutlane said last night was that first wave of the weather expected, and the next big wave was forecast for Friday, which is moving northerly across the country.
She said the difference between this big weather system moving through and the previous one was the speed of it. She expected it to move quite quickly, but while still bringing decent rainfall.
On Wednesday, Tasman's deputy mayor said residents should hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
The region was recovering from widespread flooding that wrecked homes and farmland. Since the flooding, 15 homes have been yellow stickered and one has been red stickered. They were in the Motueka Valley, Tapawera and Wai-iti.
Meanwhile, stormy conditions caused flights to be cancelled in and out of Nelson today.
Air New Zealand told RNZ safety was its priority and customers were being put on the next available flights.
"For those travelling, please keep an eye on the Air NZ app for the most up-to-date information on your flight." Heavy rain for North Island
Elsewhere, there are heavy rain watches for much of the North Island.
Northland and Auckland are forecasted to be hit earliest, with a heavy rain watch from 6am Friday until 10pm.
The Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and Great Barrier Island can expect heavy rain from 9am Friday until 2am Saturday.
There is also a heavy rain watch for Taranaki about and north of the Maunga from 11am tomorrow and it is likely it will be upgraded to an orange warning Thursday morning.
MetService is warning of possible streams and rivers rising rapidly as a result of the heavy rain, which could cause surface flooding and slips.
A heavy rain watch has also been issued for the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua from 1pm Friday until 5am Saturday.
Makgabutlane said other heavy rain watches in the North Island could still be upgraded. Showers were expected on Saturday, but the bulk of the rain would fall.
- additional reporting ODT Online
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
20 hours ago
- RNZ News
Weather Saturday: Thousands of homes without power after another night of wild weather
The Nelson-Tasman region remains under a state of emergency, with evacuations, widespread flooding, slips, power cuts, and pleas to conserve water. Tasman Mayor Tim King says areas hit hard two weeks ago have gone from "a bit of a cleanup job" to needing "a complete rebuild" after the latest rain. King appeared to choke up as he spoke to media on Saturday afternoon about the devastation. "I've spent my whole life in this community... it's pretty heartbreaking when you have these conversations with people... there's that sense of, where do you even start?" MetService says the front has moved eastwards away from New Zealand, and it has lifted most of its severe weather warnings and watches. But unsettled conditions will continue to affect many parts of the country through the weekend with periods of heavy rain in the west of the South Island. Meanwhile, Civil Defence is asking Kaiteriteri and Riwaka residents to continue to conserve water due to a problem with the water supply line. RNZ is New Zealand's statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to hand. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Wild weather: What you need to know as clean-up efforts begin
Trees in Nelson's Victoria Square have been battered by high winds that ripped through the area during yesterday's stormy weather. Photo: SAMUEL RILLSTONE / RNZ The Nelson-Tasman region remains under a state of emergency, though the rain has mercifully eased. Other parts of the country affected by Friday's wet weather included Banks Peninsula, Northland and Tai Rāwhiti. The upper South Island was the hardest-hit however, the second time in two weeks it has had unusually high rainfall . MetService warnings across the country expired overnight, though a heavy rain watch remained in place for the ranges in Westland. Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell was expected to be in the Nelson region later on Saturday to assess the damage. RNZ is New Zealand's statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to hand. All frequencies can be found here . Follow RNZ's live blog with the latest updates here . Here's what you need to know as of Saturday morning. Trees in Nelson's Victoria Square have been battered by high winds that ripped through the area during yesterday's stormy weather. Photo: SAMUEL RILLSTONE / RNZ
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Conditions ease after wild weather lashes Tasman
Conditions are easing at the top of the South Island after strong winds and heavy rain downed trees, lifted roofs and flooded roads. The storm band that left the Nelson Tasman district flooded again and soaked much of the rest of the country has been slowly making its way east overnight, and weather warnings have been lifted in its wake. MetService forecaster Oscar Shiviti told RNZ's Saturday Morning that up to 200mm of rain hit parts of the Tasman region on Friday. Paradise Peak got 106.1mm, Perry Saddle 139.5mm and Takaka 75mm. "A lot of the rainfall was seen in the higher-lying areas, which I believe was the cause of some of the rivers there rising and possibly flooding." Luckily for the sodden region, there would be an "easing trend" today, he said. "Today we're just expecting some isolated showers, especially northwest of Motueka… there is a risk for some thunderstorm activity… from the afternoon into the evening, but then for the city, we don't have a risk of thunderstorms - just an isolated shower here and there." Thousands of households passed the night without power, and the Nelson Tasman region remains under a state of emergency, with evacuations, widespread flooding, slips, power cuts, and pleas to conserve water. More than 50 Nelson Tasman residents were put up in motels overnight, after heading to Civil Defence centres during yesterday's heavy rain. The lines company, Network Tasman, says power has been restored for most customers in Motueka and Golden Bay but outages remain across its wider network, and repairs will start at first light. Further south, in Banks Peninsula - which was under a strong wind watch until 2am - Christchurch lines company Orion is reporting more than 4000 houses are without power. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says it is looking at weather damage to state highways across the top of the South Island. "Road crews are out from first light this morning, working hard to restore access to communities cut off yesterday and overnight by flood and storm-related damage," it said in a statement published at 7am Saturday, "While this work is under way, state highway closures remain in place on multiple routes until further notice." Some roads were likely to stay closed "for some time", NZTA said, warning of "ongoing delays" and "multiple roadworks sites". "The public are asked to obey all closures, not to drive through flooded areas, and avoid all unnecessary travel." Work would be quicker if people avoided non-essential travel, it said.
