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MetService says New Zealand tourists are looking forward to another rainy day, after numerous roads were closed yesterday due to flooding, slips and debris, and travelers were asked to stay put until the weather cleared.
Rivers in Otago were expected to continue rising early Sunday as Saturday’s rain continues to drain through the basins.
The Civil Defense Emergency Management in Otago did not promise that tourists will be able to restart their travel plans today.
Roads reopening will depend on what “the weather gods give them,” said Matt Alley, emergency manager for Central Otago.
“As things recede, we will see the nature of the damage and what we need to do in terms of cleaning and opening the networks as much as we can.”
Yesterday, heavy rain hit much of the country and some campers were forced to pack early. Significant rains were recorded in the southern areas of the South Island.
MetService said that between noon Saturday and midnight Sunday, Alexandra recorded Alexandra 113mm of rain, Leith Saddle (near Dunedin) 121mm, Summit of the Crown Range Road 99mm, Waitati 81mm, Dunedin 75mm, Roxburgh 68mm and Oamaru 65mm.
On the North Island, strong local downpours were also measured in Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula, eastern Waikato and Taupo. The eastern Bay of Plenty was heavily hit overnight and this morning with heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Meteorologist Kyle Lee said the weather system that caused the rain was moving slowly, so large amounts of rain can still be expected.
A heavy rain watch has been set for Buller and Westland, until 5pm today.
ROADS REMAIN CLOSED
The Otago Central District Council (CODC) said Sunday morning that all of yesterday’s road closures would remain in place until the water subsides and road repairs can be made.
There was still debris and isolated surface flooding and road users should slow down and drive as conditions.
These roads are closed:
Ida Valley Omakau Road (from Omakau to Ophir)
Puketoi Road (from Carr Rd to Wilson Rd)
McSkimming Road
Maniototo Rd (at Halls Ford Bridge)
Factory Road at the Ford
Earnscleugh Road is closed on the Fraser River between Blackman Road and McPherson Road (detour onto SH8 Alexandra)
Conroys Road from SH8 to Chapman Road
Naseby Link Road
SH85’s Naseby Gimmerburn Road – Fennessy Rod
Old Dunstan Road (gates are closed on Dunedin side, CODC will remain unlocked even though road is closed)
Strode Road (Earnscleugh) – CLOSED (from Laing to Fraser Road)
Duffy lane
Patearoa Township Bridge, detour available via Aitken Road
Corner road
Auripo Road (border with Thurlow Rd)
Danseys Pass Road from the Kyeburn River Road intersection to the top
Scotts Lane (Kyeburn River Rd to Swinburn Back Road)
Last night, the Otago Regional Council said rivers in much of the region were running high, mainly in the Taieri, Clutha, Manuherikia and Kakanui catchments.
Tourists were urged yesterday not to travel between cities and parts of state highways 1, 6, 87 and 83, as well as many local highways, were closed.
Between 150 and 200 tourists were taken out of the Otago Boat Harbor camp after the Otematata River overflowed.
Some moved their camps to higher ground in the Otematata Domain.
Kingston Top Ten holiday park manager Stacey Edmonds said it had been raining since Friday, but it fell harder yesterday.
He spent an anxious afternoon yesterday watching the creek rise rapidly on the property, which was approaching its peak. While the park was simultaneously filling up with stranded commuters, many cut off access to Queenstown due to the closure of State Highway 6.
The camp, on the south shore of Lake Wakatipu, had a capacity for 160 people and was filled almost immediately.
“They have altered some of their reserves, so they are stranded with us until they can get through.”
But he said the campers were in a good mood and huddled by a campfire.
– RNZ and ODT online
