Person washed up in the sea, evacuations as big waves hit the south coast of Wellington

Five properties have been evacuated and the person was washed into the sea when big waves hit Wellington’s south coast.

Wellington Free Ambulance confirmed that a person was washed up into the sea at Owhiro Bay around 10.40 am Wednesday morning. They had been recovered with moderate injuries.

Shortly after 12 p.m., Wellington City Council confirmed that five Owhiro Bay houses, with about 15 residents, were being evacuated.

It comes after waves of more than 5 meters high hit the shore.

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On Wednesday morning, the garage doors were damaged and the houses had been flooded with water. A container also floated in Owhiro Bay.

The high tide hit after 11 a.m. and there was no significant decrease in the expected surf during the day.

A police spokeswoman said she had received multiple reports of large waves in the Owhiro Bay area. Residents were urged to avoid the beach.

“The police are preparing for possible evacuations from low areas,” he said.

Previously, Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said the roads were about to close and urged people to avoid the area between Breaker Bay and Owhiro Bay due to the dangers caused by the waves.

A New Zealand fire and emergency spokeswoman said fire services, police, Wellington’s free ambulance and council were coordinating a response to the waves.

At 9.48 in the morning, two fire trucks were dispatched to the Owhiro Bay Parade, as the road was “flooded” with water and there had been flooding.

MetService said waves from Palliser Bay to the south coast of Wellington were expected from three to 5.5m.

These would drop to 4m peaks on Wednesday night and to 2m on Thursday afternoon.

Stuff reporter Nikki Macdonald in Owhiro Bay said she woke up to a beautiful day on Wednesday with the strange wave crashing onto the boardwalk and the road.

“But as the 11am high tide approached, the surf got bigger and bigger,” Macdonald wrote.

“The fascination turned to fear as the waves crashed into the wall, lifting a column of water that then crossed the road, through the door and up the path. He brought with him someone’s old candlestick, a paling fence and a ball of Thomas the Tank Engine.

“The solid wood garage door was ripped from its housing and slammed into the car. The neighbor’s front door is broken. A resident across the bay must have had a garage full of fishing gear because suddenly the bay was flooded with buoys, fishing boxes and rope.

“The coastal fence had completely crashed, so there was nothing to stop it from going back to sea. Neighbors rushed out to save what they could.

“The records of the size of the cars went up and down the waves. We watched, hoping they wouldn’t throw one directly at us.

“One landed in the middle of the street, blocking the way.

“Firefighters and women came to see residents. Smoke and a burning rubber smell rose from the black box on the street that says ‘dangerous live wires.’

“There is still power for now.

“The neighbors, with their 4-year-old and new baby, retreated up the hill to their garden. We are all trembling with power and utter helplessness to see it coming and knowing there is nothing you can do to stop it.”