Residents in the Bay of Plenty are gearing up for another wet night following significant amounts of rain causing surface flooding in the region. MetService has issued a weather warning for the region which has emergency services on alert.
It's been a flood of emotion as Bay of Plenty locals batten down the hatches for another night of heavy rain.
Davy Whitaker is hoping that the roads heading towards Ruātoki are open.
“It's terrible yeah I haven't seen it like this before.”
Surface flooding on major state highways in the Bay of Plenty is the result of a night's rain. 30 to 50mm of rain fell in a span of three hours, leaving road services to slow down traffic just outside of Pukehina.
But it was inland that experienced high significant flooding to rivers and lands.
Whitaker warns, “Take care on the roads aye drive safe.”
Emergency services like the Tāneatua Fire Brigade are on standby but it's always hard when your service is made up by volunteers.
Howie Black from Ngāi Tūhoe says, “With little towns like we are very lucky that we haven't been isolated yet but so far so good we haven't had any call outs as such we have had slips there has been a few bit of flooding but we have been very lucky no call-outs so far.”
Roads remain open between Tāneatua to Ōpōtiki but caution is being advised.
“If people take precautions to make sure their gullies are clear of leaves and all that sort of thing whare with corrugated fences around them they hold water make sure that there are outlets and all that sort of thing,” says Black.
Apart from the rain, MetService says that there is going to be strong westerly gales for Hawke's Bay and Te Wairarapa.