‘Relentless rain’ causes severe surface flooding, evacuations in Gisborne

Relentless rain that was briefly more intense than during Cyclone Gabrielle has caused severe surface flooding in Mangapapa, Gisborne, forcing families to leave their homes, according to the city’s mayor.

“The rain woke, I’m sure, everyone in Gisborne up at 3am. It was rain like we’ve never heard before … it’s absolutely pouring,” Gisborne mayor Rehette Stoltz told RNZ.

She said the “relentless” rainfall hitting Gisborne overnight and on Tuesday morning was more intense than what the region saw during Cyclone Gabrielle

In one hour, between 3am and 4am, the MetService rain gauge at Gisborne airport recorded 23.4mm of rain.

READ MORE:
* The Government’s disaster recovery playbook, after the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes
* Cyclone Gabrielle: It’s been two weeks, but it could have happened yesterday
* Do the loop pitch to tourists as main road to Coromandel out of action for a year

Tairāwhiti Civil Defence said in a social media update that the rain had caused drains to flood and creeks to rise to about 2 metres and there was “severe surface flooding” for the whole suburb.

Mangapapa residents on Justin St woke up to high levels of water in front of their homes and on the road. Around 4am the water had breached a nearby culvert and crossed into the street, a resident said.

Civil Defence said in its update that as a result of the flooding, a number of families had been evacuated or left their Mangapapa homes of their own accord.

The House of Breakthrough church was set up as an evacuation centre early on Tuesday morning, no-one came to stay, church member Karen Nubley said.

About 15 families from nearby Valley Rd were evacuated but were taken by police to homes of families or friends instead, she understands.

“We’ve got an amazing first response here,” said Nubley.

She expects some people may still come by the church on Tuesday with more heavy rain forecast for Gisborne.

Rural home driveways and culverts are inundated on Nelson Rd, and in some parts one lane is entirely flooded.

“Fire and Emergency has closed roads from Lytton High School to Winter Street so extensive surface flooding, heavy rain has caused drains to totally flood and creeks to rise two metres,” Stoltz said.

City creeks running through neighbourhoods were overflowing , she said.

Matokitoki Stream, which runs through several neighbourhoods, was of particular concern, she said.

Police had gone door to door checking on people, advising them over where their evacuation centre was.

The area is forecast to see further rain on Tuesday, with MetService extending a heavy rain warning about and south of Gisborne City from 6am to 1pm.

The weather forecaster said the city would get a further 30 to 40 mm on top of what has already fallen, with peak intensities of 5 to 10 mm/h.

Further north, another 15 to 25 mm is expected to fall with hourly rainfall rates of up to 15 mm on higher ground.

Since midnight 40mm has been recorded there.

In Hawke’s Bay there have also been reports of surface flooding in parts of the region.

MetService has put the Wairoa District in the Hawke’s Bay under a heavy rain warning from 7am to 2pm on Tuesday.

A further 30 to 40 mm of rain is forecast to fall on top of what has already fallen, especially in the north of the District.

The weather forecaster said peak rainfall rates of 5 to 10 mm/h were likely while there was a possibility of 20 mm/h until 11am on Tuesday.

Rain is forecast to ease towards midday, turning to scattered showers this afternoon.

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence has told people there to avoid driving through any floodwaters and to keep off the roads if possible.