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

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise has declared a local state of emergency as widespread flooding leads to landslides, power outages and evacuations.

This came after emergency services received more than 150 calls for help as heavy rains continued to hit the region.

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defense made the announcement just before 10 p.m., 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 “.

More than 3,300 homes in Napier will be without power overnight, as Unison said crews were forced to stop work due to safety, until first light Tuesday morning.

Unison’s relationship manager Danny Gough said conditions were too harsh for teams to continue working through the night.

“Rest assured that we have all available resources on standby to begin repairs on Tuesday morning, weather permitting and flooding subsides. Our teams will continue to attend to any emergency situation if necessary. “

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New Zealand Fire and Emergency Area Manager Ken Cooper said calls for assistance were being answered by 14 urban and rural teams.

Some older people were driven out of their homes to stay with relatives due to flooding and leaking roofs, he said.

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

A shed fell in a slip, prompting the evacuation of at least seven homes at risk on Havelock Terrace in Napier Hill.

Unconfirmed reports from social media indicated that the houses were evacuated after the nearby shed “had collapsed 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.

McGregor Ave resident Carrie Smith said she has no power, her home is flooded and there are cars floating in the street.

No one had come to give her any information and Smith said she was concerned about her elderly neighbors who “weren’t sure what to do and were quite upset.”

Her five-year-old daughter was also upset before going to bed because she thought her bed would float away, Smith said.

“Our greenhouse is full of thorns [in water] leading up to our house, both the shed and our cars in the driveway are flooded, almost halfway up the door.

“We are about 10 cm away from the water that enters the main part of the house.”

Smith said two neighbors had been evacuated due to the flooding. “Our neighbors have abandoned their residence, one due to substantial flooding today and the other about three hours ago due to flooding. His son-in-law came to pick them up and his ute was flooded in the process. “

MetService warned that the Hawke’s Bay region could expect 30-70mm more rain. At least 77mm had already fallen at Napier in the past 24 hours, with 23mm between 5 and 6pm Monday.

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

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.

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.”