Roads evacuated as heavy rain hits Tasman

Firefighters are checking on residents and police are urging motorists to stay off the roads as heavy rain buckets down on Tasman and Marlborough.

A heavy rain warning from MetService for the region was forecast to begin just at 8pm on Friday evening, with firefighters soon heading out into the area check on the welfare of locals.

Fire and Emergency Southern shift manager Blair Walklin said crews began evacuating residents from Factory, Old Mill and Swamp roads in Rīwaka to the Nelson Tasman Civil Defence evacuation area at the Mōtueka Recreation Centre as a precaution.

“They had some flash-flooding, lots of rain all at once, but it’s to be expected with the current forecast,” he said.

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“It’s all precautionary at this stage, but it’s better to do it now.”

The Nelson Tasman Civil Defence posted on Facebook alerting locals that by 9.54pm multiple roads had been closed in the area, including Cooks Corner and Umukuri, Brooklyn Valley, Mōtueka West Bank and Rīwaka-Sandy Bay roads.

Those with concerns for their welfare were urged to head to the evacuation centre.

“If you are in this area and feel unsafe then please make your ways to family and friends, or the Recreation centre,” it read.

“If you have pets, then please make sure you take these with you.

“You should also have important documentation and medication in you emergency bag too.”

Crews were also checking on locals in Ngātīmoti, but there had been no evacuations yet, Walklin said.

“We’re just going around and knocking on doors and doing welfare checks.”

While conduction welfare checks, firefighters were also checking the condition of bridges, roads that could be effected, Walklin said.

MetService cautioned that streams and rivers may rise rapidly due to the heavy rain, and surface flooding and slips were also possible, making driving conditions hazardous.

Tasman police released a statement urging motorists to stay off the roads.

“Police have received a number of reports of flooding, trees down and slips from across the region.”

“A number of roads are reported to be impassable, especially in the Rīwaka area.”

People were asked to stay at home if possible, or travel to the conditions and allow extra time, they said.

Waka Kotahi’s website showed State Highway 60 in Rīwaka was reduced to a 30kph temporary speed Due to a flooding.

MetService expected the rain to ease by Saturday morning.