NZ Authorities urge ‘very vulnerable’ city to prepare for second big deluge
Auckland: Late yesterday, officials have this afternoon upgraded a rainfall warning to red for parts of Auckland, Coromandel and Northland from tomorrow, as Mayor Wayne Brown urges authorities to consider closing schools.
A red warning means rain is expected to cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities.
The red warning is now in place for Auckland north of Orewa from 5pm tomorrow to 5am Wednesday; for Northland from 4am tomorrow to 4pm Wednesday and for the Coromandel from midnight tomorrow night for 18 hours. An orange warning is in place for the rest of Auckland from 6pm tomorrow to 6am Wednesday and for Bay of Plenty from 6am Wednesday to 3am Thursday.
Motorists in many regions are being urged to drive with care today, while people in flood-hit Auckland are being warned to keep away from contaminated beaches, as the upper North Island braces for the next major deluge tomorrow.
In the Far North, there are already reports of flooding on one of Kait ia’s main streets.
A Far North District Council spokesperson said she understood Commerce Street has been inundated.
Far North Kahika (Mayor) Moko Tepania said the council was working with Civil Defence Northland to keep residents updated and ensure the region was prepared should anyone need assistance. “Civil Defence Northland is active right now and is on standby monitoring the situation should they need to kick into action,” Tepania said.