Rain causes flooding and washouts

People are being advised to avoid travelling as severe weather lashes the Western Bay of Plenty.

Police are responding to several weather related issues this afternoon, including car crashes and road washouts.


The dark blue represents moderate to heavy rain. Heavy rain is depicted by red colouring. Image: The MetService.

In the last 24 hours, around 81.6mm of rain has fallen in the region, according to the Te Puke weather station.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion is asking people to drive with extreme care.

'There is a washout on Rocky Cutting Road,” he says. 'The washout has caused underground power lines to be exposed.

'There is also flooding on the bridge on State Highway 2, Tahawai, near Sharp Road. People need to take extreme care.

'There is a lot of surface flooding and people should postpone their travels.”

Ian asks people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.

Earlier this morning police were called to a crash at 9.58am on Oropi Road, near Warner Road, where a car spun out. There was no injuries.

Another incident occurred at 1.36pm where a car failed to give way when turning on to Cambridge Road, near Richmond Way.

'The offending driver has been given a fine,” says Ian.

A severe weather warning remains in place for the Western Bay of Plenty with heavy rain expected to ease around 8pm.

The MetService is also predicting thunderstorms for the region.

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1 comment

The long summer days,

Posted on 17-12-2014 17:07 | By Jimmy Ehu

and starry nights.....bloody "global warming" is to blame, shall we run a book on .... what price for a fresh chip of strawberries Christmas Eve?


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