Napier Floods: Declared State of Emergency as Floods Cause Landslides, Evacuations and Power Outages

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise declared a local state of emergency amid widespread flooding and heavy rain.

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defense made the announcement, calling for people to shelter in their homes and avoid driving when possible.

“If you feel unsafe at home, first evacuate your family and friends. If you need urgent help because you are in danger, call 111 “.

Emergency services are responding to more than 150 calls for help as heavy flooding and rain continue to hit the Hawke’s Bay region.

New Zealand Fire and Emergency Area Manager Ken Cooper said the calls, mostly from people in Napier, were being answered by 14 urban and rural teams.

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“We are evaluating the calls for assistance for flooded homes and leaky roofs, and we have removed some elderly people from their homes to stay with relatives,” he said.

The Hawkes Bay Urban Search and Rescue team also faced a series of landslides caused by heavy rains.

A shed fell into a landslide that prompted the evacuation of at least seven homes at risk on Havelock Terrace in Napier Hill when heavy rains and flooding hit the Hawke’s Bay region.

Unconfirmed reports from social media claim the houses were evacuated after the nearby shed “went down a slope.”

At least two older people had been evacuated, and Cooper encouraged those who thought they should be moved to contact friends and family with whom they could stay.

MetService has issued an update warning that the Hawke’s Bay region could expect 30-70mm more rain. At least 77mm had already fallen on Napier in the last 24 hours.

“The intensity of rainfall can reach between 10 and 20 mm per hour. Please be aware that another burst of heavy rain is likely later on Tuesday, ”MetService said.

Fenz teams are working with Napier City Council building inspectors to assess landslides and any significant safety issues and make recommendations to occupants on whether to evacuate.

Previously, Fire and Emergency New Zealand received a report of a 75-year-old woman trapped in her flooded home on Lighthouse Rd, Bluff Hill.

A Fenz spokesperson could not confirm the incident to Things, citing that he was too busy, but a police spokeswoman confirmed that they had received the report and Fenz was present.

About 3,000 homes are without power, the Unison power company said.

Things understands that there have been numerous unconfirmed reports of people trapped or needing urgent assistance to evacuate flooded homes.

This included a family that was trapped in their home and a tree that had fallen on another home, both after a landslide.

A heavy rain warning is maintained for Hawkes’ Bay south of Napier-Taupo Rd, the Tararau district, Wairarapa and the eastern Wellington hills.

MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said the heaviest rain was reported at Napier Airport, with a 77.2mm drop between 6:00 and 6pm, 23mm between 5 and 6pm Monday. .

Rain is expected to subside in Napier overnight, moving south through the Tararua district, Glassey said.

The Hawke’s Bay District Board of Health issued a warning that floodwaters could carry disease-causing insects from the soil surface and sewer systems.

Health Medical Officer Nick Jones said people should not eat any food that has come in contact with flood waters.

“Children should stay away from floods and from playing in puddles, which may have been contaminated by the sewers.”

On social media, the Napier City Council said it was receiving “constant reports” of flooded roads and advised against any non-essential travel.

“We will not be able to continue reporting on individual roads as resources are diverted to manage the situation.”

Those using the roads should be careful, as some manhole covers may have lifted and there may be other hazards that are not visible, they said.

The Hawkes Bay Civil Defense asked people on social media not to mock.

“People driving unnecessarily around Napier make the situation more difficult for everyone. Driving through flood water creates bow ripples, which carry the water into the houses. “

Earlier, Hawke’s Bay firefighters were called into a slip on a Bluff Hill property in Napier, resulting in a tree falling on a caravan.

Hawke’s Bay area commander for FENZ, Ken Cooper, confirmed that firefighters had been called to a series of landslides on Bluff Hill.

He said FENZ was taking “every call seriously” but recommended that members of the public call 111 so that all incidents could be reported and taken care of by emergency services.

Unison’s relationship manager Danny Gough said 390 customers in Tamatea were affected by power outages and another 570 in Meannee and Pirimai.

There were no downed power lines, but the transformers on the ground were affected by the flooding.

“Hawke’s Bay customers should prepare for more cuts, as the weather is quite rough.”

Gough said crews were working to get the power back on as soon as possible, but messy conditions would slow them down.

Other areas with heavy surface flooding in Napier included Latham St, Nuffield Ave, Kennedy Rd, and Barker Rd.

The Napier City Council said the amount of rain was affecting the city’s sewage network.

“To avoid an emergency discharge from the grid in the Ahuriri estuary, the Napier City Council requests that the community flush toilets only when necessary and avoid the use of showers, dishwashers or washing machines if possible.”