Weather: 'Another significant' wave of storms on way for Tasman, Nelson in flood aftermath

MetService are warning the storm-battered Tasman and Nelson regions to prepare for more thunderstorms, wind and rain later this week.

It comes as the area's deal with the aftermath of after heavy rain on Friday and Saturday.

MetService's head of weather news Heather Keats told Morning Report the unfortunate weather was what they had expected.

"We have been looking at stats, and Nelson and Blenheim had their wettest June days on the 26, and Blenheim, it was their third wettest day on record and unfortunately there is more to come.

"Another front that will bring rain and a string of north-easterly to many."

Keats said the next wild weather was set to hit on Wednesday night, with a second wave on Friday.

"It is likely to to be another significant event and it will lead to watches and warnings," she said.

Thunderstorms were forecast to bring heavy rain to Nelson, Blenheim, Buller and Marlborough.

"Unfortunately it is going to be a similar event [to last weekend]."

The front was too far out to comment on the specific timings and amount of rainfall, she said.

The rain radar

Nelson and Tasman have been crying out for better warning systems so they can better prepare for these serious weather events.

Civil Defence Minister Mark Mitchell told Morning Report he was committed to "finding a way through with the rain radar", but did not confirm whether the regions would get one.

After recently surveying the damage by helicopter, Mitchell said there was "lots of surface flooding and significant damage to rural properties in the Tasman region".

When asked about whether he would answer the calls for a new rain radar, he said he was working towards getting one in place.

"That's obviously been raised with me and I was like look lets work together, i'm very open to finding a way through and providing support from central government to get a rain radar in place."

But Mitchell said the problem was the region had many valleys that were very close together and caused problems in predicting the weather.

"I'm very committed to finding a way through with the rain radar," Mitchell added.

He also said there was a "significant" amount of mitigation projects around the country supported at a central government level.

'Damage is just phenomenal'

Tasman District Mayor Tim Kingsaid the storm damage was very widespread and significant, with the worst case possible becoming a reality.

King told Morning Report the damage of property was terrible, but the loss of life was the worst thing possible.

"Particularly in small rural communities where people are so well known and have so many connections."

It comes after Peter Lines, a fifth generation hop farmer, was killed by a falling tree while clearing flood damage in Wai-iti, south-east of Wakefield.

King said Lines was out starting the recovery process, like many of the regions residents, "but in this case, tragically, Peter lost his life".

"It's hard to tell from the air, like you get a bit of a sense of how widespread the damaged is, but it's not until you are actually on the ground.

"Riverbeds changed course, completely destroyed what were flat paddocks, houses flooded, significant damage to infrastructure particularly bridges, culverts and the river itself," he said.

"The damage is both widespread and very significant."

He said the region would take a "significant" and "long term" economic hit.

"Particularly on those rural property owners, whether that's farmers or horticulturists or forestry companies."

The next focus was around the rivers and roads network to ensure access, particularly for the rural community.

"By and large this is a much bigger issue than just sandbags, the river damage is extensive so most of that is rock work, big machinery operating at a lot of these locations to try and get the rivers back to something like their original courses.

"None of that is going to be fully possible in the next couple of days, so this further rain forecast has the potential to be at least as significant and challenging as what we have just been through."

He added that less than a dozen properties were yellow stickered.

'Challenging time ahead'

A dairy farmer who had only been in Marlborough for three weeks has been force out of her home after it flooded.

Dione Timuiaiala told Morning Report she thought it was wet in Southland before she moved.

She said it was a shock to wake to water underfoot, and to find her home wrecked.

"It's really emotional going back to the house, a lot of our stuff got washed away - it's gone downstream.

"But there's worse things happening in the world and we are lucky to be alive," she said.

Timuiaiala said she didn't know when she would be able to return home.

Federated Farmers president Kerry Irvine told Morning Report the scale of damage to rural properties in the region was "horrendous".

"The damage to infrastructure, fences, banks is just horrendous, you've got to see it to believe it."

He said there was silt, debris, logs and gravel scattered throughout paddocks, but said he didn't believe it would be the end any farms.

"It's not in our nature as New Zealand farmers to give up, it's just not in our DNA.

"We are down, don't get me wrong, we are down, but we will get up again and we will repair our farms and put them back together.

"It will be a long road and a challenging time ahead," he said.

Marlborough's Civil Defence is planning for the worst case scenario with the coming heavy rain.

Recovery manager Dean Heiford said residents should to clean up what they can, but not do too much just in case.

He also warned residents to treat floodwaters as contaminated.

A mayoral relief fund has set up to support Nelson City and Tasman District residents, ratepayers or business owners and not-for-profit organisations who have suffered financial hardship because of the flood event.

Fibre and insurance

Spark has been working to restore connection to customers in the region after the extreme weather caused multiple fibre breaks across the region.

The telecommunications company said fibre line damage had resulted in the loss of four Spark cell sites and interrupted landline service for 70 landline customers.

"Our fibre partner has advised that due to the extent of the damage caused by the weather, their technicians were only able to access the areas to begin repairs yesterday, and this is still ongoing," Spark said.

"Despite this, we have been working to restore connectivity throughout the weekend, where our technicians have been able to safely reach the impacted sites."

While insurance companies AMI, State and NZI had received more than 373 claims related to the weekend's weather event across home, contents, motor and commercial policies.

AMI, State and NZI executive general manager of claims Stephannie Ferris said when placing a claim, images were helpful, but should only be taken when safe to do so.

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