九一星空无限

ZB ZB
Opinion
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Up next
ZB

Live: Cyclone Hale tracking as '1-in-20 year storm' for Coromandel, hundreds without power

Author
NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Tue, 10 Jan 2023, 1:37pm

Live: Cyclone Hale tracking as '1-in-20 year storm' for Coromandel, hundreds without power

Author
NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Tue, 10 Jan 2023, 1:37pm

KEY POINTS

  • Ex Cyclone Hale is hammering the North Island, dumping a month鈥檚 worth of rain in 24 hours in Northland and north Auckland
  • There鈥檚 widespread flooding in Coromandel and Gisborne, including concerns some rivers could burst their banks
  • Gisborne council is warning residents in low-lying areas near the Hikuwai River to 鈥榩repare to evacuate鈥
  • State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyns is partially closed in both ways due to severe surface flooding and slips
  • A fallen tree has blocked a section of State Highway 1 at Dome Valley, north of Auckland, causing lengthy delays
  • Thames-Coromandel District Council says storm will likely be a 鈥榦ne in 20-year event鈥
  • Civil Defence warning there鈥檚 still up to eight hours of the cyclone at this intensity

This week鈥檚 former tropical cyclone that has brought misery to Coromandel Peninsula just days after an earlier storm saw roads awash and holidays ruined is set to become a 鈥渙ne-in-20-year event鈥.

Thames Coromandel District Council said fresh off a briefing with MetService and Waikato Regional Council, its emergency management team had been advised that 400mm of rain was now forecast to fall for the event through to 10pm, meaning ex-Cyclone Hale would likely be a one-in-20-year storm event.

鈥漌hile the cyclone is set to begin easing off tonight and through tomorrow, our catchments are struggling to cope so expect widespread surface flooding, slips, storm surge, and road closures to continue,鈥 said the council this afternoon.

There are reports of power outages in K艒p奴, 艑poutere, Whenuakite, Hot Water Beach, Whitianga and Waiau.

More than 500 households in total are affected. Powerco were working to restore connections.

鈥漌e have another six to eight hours of this cyclone at its current intensity, so the message to everyone is stay off the roads and beaches for your own safety 鈥 it鈥檚 dangerous,鈥 said Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler.

STORY CONTINUES AFTER LIVE BLOG

With more rain still expected on already sodden ground, there could be slips and slumps around the region, he said.

The emergency valve at the Gladstone Road Bridge has been opened to release the pressure at 8am this morning, the council鈥檚 4 Waters operation manager Chris Hopman said.

鈥淭he Wainui Road pump station is at the highest level we鈥檝e ever seen,鈥 he said.

鈥淲e need to open the valves into waterways to avoid wastewater overflows into people鈥檚 homes and through manholes on the street, which can cause health risks.鈥

The North Island is being hammered by the rapidly-moving ex-Cyclone Hale and forecasters are eyeing its move towards Auckland where residents are being warned of a dumping of rain and wild winds.

Police are warning of significant delays on State Highway 1 near Dome Valley, Warkworth where a tree has fallen across the northbound lane.

Roads in the Coromandel are flooding and slips are making driving tricky in some areas.

Heavy rain warnings have been issued for Auckland and Northland, south of the Bay of Islands, with MetService predicting 90 to 120mm of rain and peak rates of 10 to 20mm/h.

MetService forecaster Allister Gorman told 九一星空无限talk ZB that the weather event would bring a lot of rain with it but not so much wind.

鈥淚t is moving towards the Hauraki Gulf area later today and we do expect it to take a turn to the East again. It is quite tricky to say just how close it will come to Coromandel and Auckland,鈥 he said.

Gorman said Hale seemed to be travelling quickly

Ex-cyclone Hale is already dumping heavy rain in the Coromandel and causing surface flooding in Whang膩rei, which is expected to cop a month鈥檚 worth of rain in a single day.

Drains are overflowing and winds are picking up as Whang膩rei cops the worst of the blustery former cyclone鈥檚 wrath.

In Whitianga nearly 400 homes are without power and lawns and reserves close to the sea are starting to disappear under growing pools of floodwater.

At least one home has needed firefighters to clear floodwater from the property.

Thames Coromandel Civil Defence controller Garry Towler warned the weather conditions would be intense for the region today and tomorrow.

鈥淭hree roads have closed due to slips this morning.鈥

Holidaymakers were seen leaving the Coromandel ahead of the arrival of the fierce storm, amid MetService alerts of possible flooding, slips and hazardous driving conditions for Auckland and parts of Northland.

The tropical storm, New Zealand鈥檚 first of 2023, was expected to hit the North Island last night - earlier than previously forecast - and people are warned to brace for gale-force winds and extensive heavy rain that could last until Thursday morning.

The warning is in place for 19 hours, with streams and rivers expected to rise rapidly and surface flooding and slips possible. Driving conditions may be hazardous, MetService said.

Meanwhile, conditions off the Coromandel鈥檚 east coast were rapidly deteriorating ahead of Cyclone Hale making landfall.

The wind had risen last night and white caps were visible on the increasingly choppy sea hundreds of metres out from the Whitianga shoreline. The entire area was cloaked in a misty gloom.

Late yesterday afternoon a stream of traffic, many towing boats and laden with camping gear, was seen heading away from the Coromandel.

It came as MetService warned that eastward-facing parts of the North Island, like Coromandel and Gisborne that were drenched last week, 鈥渁re again in the firing line鈥 despite Hale being downgraded to a former tropical cyclone.

Heavy rain warnings have been issued for those regions as well as many others including Hawke鈥檚 Bay.

People are urged to keep up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings and stay alert to bulletins from local authorities.

鈥淐yclone Hale is approaching the North Island today, bringing rain and strong east to southeast winds to many areas,鈥 MetService said.

鈥淭his is likely to be a significant adverse weather even with widespread effects, and more areas are likely to be added as the system moves closer and its exact track and intensity becomes more certain.鈥

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency asked people to avoid unnecessary travel from last night until Wednesday morning.

Acting national manager maintenance and operations Jaclyn Hankin said heavy rain could cause surface flooding, trigger slips and cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, which would require the agency to close some state highways.

鈥淪tay alert for unreported hazards, such as surface flooding, slips, fallen trees and branches, and downed powerlines,鈥 Hankin said.

鈥淚f you must travel, slow down and maintain a greater following distance between your vehicle and the one in front.鈥

East Coast settlements are being warned they may be cut off for days, with Civil Defence urging North Island residents to keep an eye on the approaching storm, with fears of widespread flooding and beaches hammered by dangerous 6m swells.

Everyone in the Coromandel is being warned to take shelter and be prepared to 鈥渞ide out鈥 ex-tropical cyclone Hale for 24 hours, with the North Island to take a direct hit from the approaching storm.

Easterly swells of up to 6m are forecast to pound east-facing coasts from Northland to Wairarapa on Tuesday and Wednesday. MetService warns it could lead to coastal flooding and erosion around high tide.

New Zealand Civil Defence told people to make an emergency plan and prepare homes ahead of the tropical blast.

鈥淚f you are in Tair膩whiti, Hawke鈥檚 Bay or the Coromandel Peninsula, stay up to date by checking MetService warnings and following your local Civil Defence Emergency Management group on social media.鈥

With destructive gales and flood-threatening levels of rain forecast to hit much of the upper North Island, the national defence organisation advised people to secure items around properties and bring pets indoors, ensure livestock were gathered in a safe place. It also advised to secure boats or boat trailers.

Tair膩whiti Civil Defence warned locals across the region to be prepared and have a plan in case they needed to evacuate.

鈥淚f you know you could possibly get cut off, make plans to move now or be prepared with enough supplies for three days, including medication.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e camping in an exposed coastal area you should consider moving now.鈥

It said all unsealed roads across the region would be closed to heavy freight trucks from 8pm last night.

Yesterday morning Thames-Coromandel District Council said those staying on the eastern seaboard needed to keep up-to-date with developments and be somewhere safe by last night, 鈥渞eady to ride this out for at least 24 hours鈥.

The centre of the low is expected to move into Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty on tonight.

The areas most in the storm鈥檚 path included eastern parts of Northland, North Auckland, eastern Waikato, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, East Cape and Gisborne, Hawke鈥檚 Bay, Wairarapa and the Cook Strait.

MetService鈥檚 latest models predict Cyclone Hale will hit the Coromandel Peninsula before travelling to the Waikato, through Taup艒 and hooking back towards Hawke鈥檚 Bay.

鈥淲e are not sugar coating this one, it will hit hard and likely cause coastal damage as well as the usual slips, surface flooding and power outages鈥.

The ex-tropical system was forecast to dump more than 230mm of rain in 24 hours with easterly gales and gusts exceeding 110km/h.

Torrential rainfall and flooding had caused many issues to roads in the Coromandel area. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Coromandel civil defence controller Garry Towlersaid impacts would be felt from last night, peaking on Tuesday and passing through by Wednesday afternoon.

Coastal scientists forecast storm surges of up to 30cm or more above the three high tides over this time.

鈥淭he main areas of concern are erosion and inundation at Brophy鈥檚 and Buffalo beaches in Whitianga, erosion and structure damage across beaches all the way down to Whangamat膩,鈥 said Towler.

鈥淓veryone on the Coromandel, especially on the eastern side needs to stay up to date and be somewhere safe by Monday night, ready to ride this out for at least 24 hours,鈥 Towler said.

Cyclone Hale was located southwest of New Caledonia at midday on Sunday.

It will likely pass southwards over or near the eastern North Island tomorrow, before moving away to the east.

Ahead of the forecast cyclone, forestry operators in Northland, Gisborne and Hawke鈥檚 Bay were asked to stop work in severe weather.

鈥淪trong winds and heavy rain can make forestry operations dangerous,鈥 said Safetree chief executive Joe Akari.

鈥漃lease take heed of any MetService or Civil Defence warnings issued.鈥

AA Insurance head of home claims Tom Bartlett said people should check their properties before the cyclone hits.

鈥淲ith heavy rain on the way for parts of the country which have seen a lot of rainfall already this year, we鈥檙e encouraging people to get out and check their properties while it is safe to do so, especially areas of your house that are prone to flooding,鈥 Bartlett said.

Rural property owners should check that their property is secure and livestock moved to sheltered areas, he said.

Any items that could get caught up in the wind such as trampolines should be tied down, and if possible move outdoor furniture and barbecues inside or under cover.

Tower CEO Blair Turnbull says people with household emergency plans should be prepared to put them into action.

鈥淏e prepared to evacuate quickly if it becomes necessary... make sure you do so safely and your property is secure by locking all doors and windows,鈥 he said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e aware of the ways climate change is affecting our communities. Our data clearly shows the frequency of large events and the severity of the damage they cause, increasing over time.鈥

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you