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Floods on the South Island have led to road closures, while a storm continues to move across the North Island.
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Otago Central District Council / Supplied
The Patearoa Bridge has been damaged by wild weather.
MetService has issued a heavy rain advisory for the lower parts of the South Island, including the northern areas of Otago, Dunedin and Clutha until midnight Saturday.
There is also a severe storm watch for much of the North Island.
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According to the forecaster, there is a moderate risk that some storms will worsen, with the possibility of localized showers of 25 to 40 millimeters per hour.
Ricky Wilson / Stuff
Clouds are gathering over Motions Rd at Point Chevalier in Auckland, where there is a severe storm watch.
MetService meteorologist Robb Kerr said around 12:30 p.m. M., As the weather event was just beginning, it was expected to get worse during the afternoon.
north island
Flooding has been reported in the Waikato region, both in Morrinsville and Whangamatā, with photographs showing surface flooding on roads.
MetService forecaster Tuporo Marsters said that shortly after 5 p.m., thunderstorms were hitting the North Island.
Supplied
Heavy rains flooded Ruru St in Whangamatā.
Heavy rains hit Northland and Coromandel, Marsters said, as well as Hūnua Ranges in southern Auckland.
MetService tweeted that more than 1,100 lightning strikes have been detected in the last 2 hours over the North Island.
A rain gauge on Mill Rd, near Manurewa, recorded about 30 millimeters of rain between 11 am and 12 pm, which was “far higher than all the others.”
Rain is considered “strong” when it exceeds 6mm per hour, Kerr said, and 30mm is a downpour.
Taranaki had seen a total of 20mm of rain at 12:30 pm, while Northland saw 14mm of rain between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm
Ricky Wilson / Stuff
The slowness of the storm means that some areas will likely experience downpours and possibly flooding, MetService says.
There was also some thunder south of Auckland and across the Waikato, he said, however there were only about 10 lightning strikes around 1.30pm.
“Lightning is quite exciting, but it can be quite dangerous,” he added.
The lack of wind meant the storm was moving slowly, which could cause flooding.
“Wherever they go out, they stay.”
south island
One camp is being evacuated and three state highways have been closed due to a combination of flooding, slipping and at least one bridge destroyed.
Otago Central District Council / Supplied
The damage to the bridge caused the shutdown of part of the city’s water supply.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says SH6, between Kingston and Queenstown, is closed due to flooding and slipping, while SH1 is closed due to flooding in Maheno, which is just south of Oamaru.
Fenz has closed the Kakanui Bridge, near Maheno and on SH1.
The Waitaki district council said the bridge was unsafe due to accumulation of debris on its central piers. Cleaning up debris is not an option until water levels are significantly reduced.
Meanwhile, SH87, from Kyeburn to Outram, has closed due to the collapse of the Kokonga Bridge.
Georgia Weaver / Stuff
Some of the flooding in Maheno, which is south of Oamaru.
The Waitaki District Council says police are evacuating campers at Boat Harbor camp in Otematata as the river threatens to break the flood bank.
The local domain of Otematata has been opened for campers who cannot make it home.
The Patearoa Bridge in Central Otago has also been damaged by wet weather.
Part of Patearoa’s water supply has now been shut down to prevent the water reservoirs from draining in case the water line is damaged.
Carla Amos / Things
Flooding on State Highway 1 near Maheno in North Otago.
The Otago Central District Council is organizing a potable water tanker for affected residents.
Parts of northern Otago have seen 100mm of rain in the past 18 hours, Kerr said.
“A few” weather stations in the vicinity had seen close to 60mm in the last 24 hours.
As a result, the Kakanui and Kauru rivers have “grown rapidly,” according to Otago Regional Council spokesperson Sharon Hornblow.
The source of the Taieri basin is also increasing, which could affect the Silverstream and other rivers, causing flooding within the Gordon Rd floodway, it added.
Ro Harris / Stuff
The rough seas lash the Oamaru breakwater.
The Pomahaka River in West Otago is also rising steadily.
In Southland, the Waikaia River has overflowed into Piano Flat, a Stuff said the reporter.
“It started to rain here on New Years Eve and it hasn’t stopped – we had 24mm on New Year’s Day and it is expected to rain through Wednesday.”
The road from Kingston to Queenstown is closed.
