Red warning lifted, but storm recovery continues across the Coromandel

Published on 01 February 2023

Image: Damage to a home at Thornton Bay on the Thames Coast Road.

Our Council has been dealing with six land stability issues today, following a week of persistent rain.

All properties involved are under investigation.

MetService has this afternoon lifted the Heavy Rain Warning RED.

Both the State Highway and local roading networks remain compromised. Please drive with extreme caution and plan for delays.

“A huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in responding to this latest weather event,” says our Mayor Len Salt. “This includes all the emergency management workers, roading and water contractors - Pinnacles, Higgins and Veolia, and all the community social media sites, community network groups and volunteers around the district. You’re all truly amazing.”

Road closures and conditions

There are ten road closures tonight, including SH25A Kōpū to Hikuai.

State Highways – Waka Kotahi/NZTA

• SH25A Kōpū Hikuai - CLOSED until further notice due to an extensive drop out.

• SH25 Hikuai to Tairua is CLOSED due to flooding during the high tide period.

  
  Local roads closed

  • Kennedy Bay Road will be CLOSED again tonight – 7pm to 7am due to the continued imminent risk of failure to a section of road 1km along Kennedy Bay Rd (emergency services only) 
  • Colville Road - CLOSED due to a slip between Oamaru and Amodeo Bay – Road will have to remain closed overnight.
  • Neavesville Road - CLOSED (Road is Impassable at the 4km mark) – Road will remain closed for the foreseeable future
  • Tapu Coroglen is CLOSED and impassable for the foreseeable future. Location is 10km from Tapu
  • The 309 Road – CLOSED (open to 1 lane for residence and emergency services)
  • Te Kouma Road – CLOSED – Large slips continue to come down – Road will have to remain closed overnight.
  • Otamakite Road – CLOSED – Slip roughly 2.4km from the start of the road.
  • Old Maratoto Road – CLOSED - Flooding
  • Hikuai Settlement Road – CLOSED – Flooding 

  Open to one lane

  • Tuateawa Road
  • Port Charles Road
  • Black Jack Road
  • Waiomu Valley Road – Flooding at the ford
  • Victoria Street, Tararu
  • Port Jackson Rd

Our next update will be tomorrow morning if there’s any changes around roads and slips.

View the Waikato Civil Defence video report on the last 24 hours here.

Kerbside Collections  – Thursday 2 February 2023

At this stage, kerbside collections will take place tomorrow as per the usual schedule. 

The areas for collection are Thames South Rural, Mercury Bay South and Tairua.

Collections will commence from 7.30am, please do not put your materials out the night before, especially in these wet and windy conditions.

Collections are dependent on weather and road conditions and we will re-assess again early tomorrow morning with our Contractor.  

If there are any changes these will be communicated on our Facebook page and website.

Refuse Transfer Stations (RTS) – 2 February 2023

Our Contractor will endeavour to open the RTS sites tomorrow where it is possible to do so safely. Please keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for any changes.

DOC’s Coromandel campsites and huts closed amid weather emergency

Department of Conservation huts and campsites across the Coromandel Peninsula have been closed to visitors amid warning-level weather forecasts and treacherous driving conditions.

Coromandel has been significantly affected by the recent heavy rain across the upper North Island. As part of supporting the multi-agency response DOC will not allow campers to stay at the dozens of huts and campsites across the Peninsula.

The closures are temporary and mean the sites are unavailable until MetService weather warnings for the district are lifted.

Decisions on reopening the campsites and huts will be made once DOC staff have had an opportunity to carry out assessments.

The closures affect popular locations in the Kauaeranga Valley, the Pinnacles Hut, and various campsites in northern Coromandel including Port Jackson and Fletcher Bay.

The Cathedral Cove walkway, which leads to one of Coromandel’s most famous beaches near Hahei, is also closed.

Visitors should keep an eye on the dedicated page of the DOC website for weather-related updates.