Rain, flooding keep people from lakefront
Council closes part of boardwalk under water, business suffers
The smaller boardwalk and track that runs from the eastern end of the Rotorua lakefront development area to Motutara Point was closed yesterday due to damage and washouts.
The damage and washouts made it unsafe to use, with the Rotorua Lakes Council asking residents in a statement to adhere to barriers and signage that was erected yesterday.
The new lakefront boardwalk was still open for use.
Photos at the lakefront show parts of the boardwalk under water, as well as lake weed strewn across it.
Chris Senerpida, who runs Teariffic Bubble Milk Tea on the lakefront, said his business had been closed most days for the past week because of heavy rain.
“The rain is so bad and it's not viable to open. Nobody goes to the lakefront when it rains.”
The business runs out of a food truck which closed on Friday last week and remained shut over Auckland Anniversary weekend. It reopened on Tuesday but had been closed since then.
Senerpida said having to close over the long weekend was “tough for business” and employees who were unable to work.
“It's just a waste of time and money to keep the food truck open when it rains.
Senerpida also owned the ice cream and bubble tea shop, Scoop’d, on Tarawera Rd. He said it had stayed open the past week, however, it had been “very quiet”.
As of 3pm on Wednesday, 27.8mm of rain had been recorded at Rotorua Airport and, according to Metservice, was a third of the average February rainfall.
The red rainfall warning for Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty issued earlier in the week had lifted but a
heavy rain watch was still in place.
Metservice said between 70mm and 90mm could accumulate with peak intensities of up to 10mm to 20mm per hour from 11am yesterday until 8am today.
“Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.”
The council urged residents driving on its roads to take care and be on the alert for slips, treefalls, water pooling, surface flooding and debris.
“Council staff and contractors will