24 Mar 2022

Tairāwhiti heavy downpours cause more flooding

From Morning Report, 6:08 am on 24 March 2022

Further evacuations have been ordered in Gisborne district in the past couple of hours, as heavy rain continues to fall in already-soaked Tairāwhiti.

Houses in low-lying areas on Waingake Road, near Manutuke were asked to evacuate around 2 o'clock as the Te Arai river reached its maximum level.

And residents of low-lying areas around the Waipaoa River were also told to leave at 3am

The local Scout Hall has been set up as an evacuation centre.

The Gisborne District Council says people in other areas need to be prepared to evacuate in the event of further river rises - and if in doubt, get out.

Gisborne Civil Defence Emergency Management group controller David Wilson spoke to Guyon Espiner.