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National | Flooding

Thames-Coromandel evades brunt of storm

Civil Defence continues to monitor weather conditions across the Thames-Coromandel area, which is experiencing surface flooding and road slips due to heavy rain.

The mayor and locals are grateful they've not been hit with worse conditions.

Local shop owners tuck into a hot meal- thankful not to be hit with worse weather.

A store owner at The Depot says, “This January we've all been forced to do things like clear our spouting, just general things to make our property safer.”

Another store owner says they cleared the loose debris around on the ground so that it doesn't get swept away.

Aanother said, “We've lost a table, an outdoor table, a Webber barbeque, yeah, it's all just flown off the deck.”

At the beginning of this year, the Thames-Coromandel area was hit by its biggest storm yet with high swells due to strong winds.

“We're pretty used to dealing with these weather events,” said Thames-Coromandel Mayor, Sandie Goudie.

“However, of late they've been much more intense and we've never seen anything like it was earlier in the year when it tossed the Thames Coast Road."

The Depot building of boutiques and a cafe experienced flooding from the January storm.  Vic Challis says some business still hasn't recovered.

“Thames, we have been hit but not as bad as Coromandel and that.  Once the highway was shut to Coromandel, business up there suffered.”

Along SH25 (Thames Coast) at Ngarimu Bay to Whakatete Bay one lane has been blocked due to a slip.

Civil Defence is warning locals to secure loose outdoor furniture, tie-down trampolines, and also check drains and gutters around their properties.