Coromandel highway washed out, homes flooded after heavy rain

Heavy rain has battered Thames-Coromandel overnight, with a state highway washed out and firefighters rushing to flooded homes.

State Highway 25 was closed between Hikuai and Whangamata due to a washout, NZTA said. There was no suitable detour.

Meanwhile, firefighters received calls from about 10pm to 1.30am about flooded houses in Thames-Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.

A Metservice heavy rain warning for the Coromandel Peninsula was in place from 10pm Sunday to 10am Monday.

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People were told to expect 70 to 100mm of rain, especially in the east, but up to 150mm was possible in localised areas.

Heavy rain could cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, and surface flooding and slips were possible. Driving conditions could also be hazardous, Metservice warned.

There was also a severe thunderstorm watch in place till noon on Monday for the peninsula, Great Barrier Island, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua.

Thunderstorms, some severe, were expected – with heavy rain and hail.

This was expected to ease in western Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua, and eastern Waikato by early Monday morning, then elsewhere by midday.

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said firefighters were called to seven flooded houses in Whangamata, and 10 in Tauranga overnight.

Firefighters would try to pump water out of the houses, where possible.

They were also called to a tree down in Pukepoto in Thames-Coromandel at 1.22am.