Wild weather brings chaos
Heavy rain brought flooding and road chaos to the lower North Island yesterday as spring’s sunshine gave way to storms and rough weather.
Fire fighters had to pump out flooded houses on the Kapiti Coast, and State Highway 1 at Kapiti was closed by a crash in one direction and a slip blocking the other.
By yesterday afternoon, there were reports of flooding at Otaki Beach with resident Linda Billington saying she could see five houses under threat from a stream that had broken its bank and water up to the top of car wheels.
Earlier in the day, firefighters were called to flooded homes in Raumati Beach and Paraparaumu and two flood-prone reserves near the Waikanae River were closed by the council after overnight rain lashed the Wellington region.
As the wild weather swept up the country it created a busy afternoon for coastguards after a person had to be pulled from a sinking jetski in Whangaparoa and a boatie had to be treated for head injuries after a yacht was caught in rough seas at Bean Rock, just off Bastion Point in the Waitemata Harbour.
Coastguards were also keeping watch on a boat that threatened to drag its anchor in the Bay of Islands.
Motorists in Auckland were also asked to take care in the treacherous conditions although the downpours and isolated thunderstorms were expected to ease today.