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STENT / KEVIN THINGS
The Plimmerton flash flood cleanup may increase with more heavy rains tonight.
Wellingtons should prepare for heavy rains with MetService predicting 39.6mm of rain over a three-hour period to 9pm Monday.
There is a heavy rain warning for Wellington and the Kapiti coast, south of Ōtaki, until 1 AM. M., AND there is a strong wind advisory for the same area until 10 a.m. M. From Tuesday.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand received its first flood calls Monday night in Tawa, with crews also on standby for further flooding in Plimmerton.
The heavy rains predicted by MetService can cause streams and rivers to swell rapidly and result in flooding and slipping on the surface, with potentially dangerous driving conditions.
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The New Zealand Transport Agency is asking drivers to slow down and increase following distances due to surface flooding on urban highway SH1 in Ngauranga Gorge, SH1 from Plimmerton to Pukerua Bay and SH2 from Petone to Haywards Interchange.
The southbound SH1 Johnsonville exit ramp was previously closed due to flooding, but has since reopened.
The Greater Wellington Regional Council said Sunday’s flash floods in Plimmerton were a flood event of one in 10 years.
51mm of rain was recorded at Whenua Tapu Cemetery in Plimmerton, the third highest total of three hours since 1991.
Kevin Stent / Stuff
Resident Alice Moore cleans up the mound of mud and silt outside her Plimmerton home after Sunday’s flooding.
A three-hour total rainfall of 59mm was recorded at Battle Hill Farm Park.
“The rain was very heavy during periods of 20mm falling in just 20 minutes,” said a GWRC spokesperson.
Further north, at Te Horo and Ōtaki, around 50 to 60mm of rain was recorded over six hours, also causing some flooding, estimated to be an event of one in seven years.
The Red Cross Kapiti-Mana disaster response team was activated in Plimmerton this afternoon and is on the ground supporting residents in the affected areas.
Supplied / NZTA
After Sunday’s heavy rains, the State Highway 1 roundabout in Plimmerton was closed due to flooding. NZTA said there is a risk of similar floods happening again tonight.
The Porirua City Council said 20 trucks filled with mud were cleaned on Monday, in preparation for more rains later that night.
A spokeswoman for the council said 15 houses have been deemed uninhabitable and she is helping two families with emergency shelter. Others have made their own arrangements.
Wellington Water, Downer and FENZ teams remain in the Plimmerton area on hold.
NZTA Regional Transportation Systems Manager Mark Owen said there is again the risk of water accumulation around the Plimmerton roundabout and on State Highway 2 around Petone.
High Ride in Porirua is expected at 11pm on Monday.
