State Highway 25 between Hikuai and Whangamatā was closed by a washout on Monday. Photo: Supplied / Thames-Coromandel District Council
Torrential rain battering parts of the Bay of Plenty overnight caused a washout on State Highway 25 and flooding in a number of properties in the cyclone-hit region.
On the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula 70-100mm of rain fell in a two-hour period, Thames-Coromandel Civil Defence said.
Most of the rain fell between Whangamatā and Cooks Beach.
In a 12-hour period more than 80mm of rain fell in Whakatāne and over 70mm in Tauranga.
Fire and Emergency helped occupants of 10 properties in Tauranga and six in Whangamatā but no homes were evacuated.
Engineers were assessing the washout that closed State Highway 25 between Hikuai and Whangamatā and a decision on reopening was due on Monday afternoon.
Thames-Coromandel Civil Defence controller Garry Towler said said if the road was deemed safe by geotech engineers it may reopen to one lane traffic.
He said the supply chain was only just back up and running, and the washout was a problem.
"Some sense of normality on the roading network is essential," he told RNZ's Midday Report.
The only alternative route via Thames, Coromandel town and across to Whitianga added two hours to the journey, he said.
However washouts on roads were not unexpected. "We've been advised about this by the experts for some time, that land instability is going to be a major issue for the Coromandel for quite some time."
On Sunday, severe thunderstorm warning and heavy rain watch had been issued for the region.
MetService said the worst of the rain had eased but there was a risk Coromandel and Tauranga could experience more heavy falls.
