Flooding kills stock, sparks landslips and closes roads

WARWICK SMITH/ Manawatu Standard

FLOODING: Widespread flooding blocked roads, caused landslips and drowned livestock in rural Manawatu and Horowhenua.

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Widespread flooding blocked roads, caused landslips and drowned livestock in rural Manawatu and Horowhenua this morning, but MetService says the rain will ease off this afternoon.

Farmland between Levin and Tokomaru, and sections of State Highways 57, 52 and 1 were the worst-affected areas, with police urging drivers to be cautious and to expect delays.

Shannon farmer Bronwyn McIntyre lost at least 20 lambs, valued at about $2400, in the flood waters, which submerged five of her paddocks.

"We were up at 3.30am," she said.

"We tried to move them on as fast as we could but the water came up too fast, and the lambs drowned."

It was the first time she had lost lambs to flooding in more than 20 years.

"But that's life, you keep on going," she said.

Kimberley Rd, near Levin, and Nikau Rd, in Mangamaire, were hit hard by the rainwaters.

Mangamaire School was this morning engulfed in water and had been closed. The Pahiatua Track was also closed.

MetService forecaster Heath Gullery said the rain was the result of a typical spring burst. "There is an active front that has been moving through the lower North Island, which is preceded by some very moist northwesterlies."

The rain would pick up in the late morning and midday, but was expected to ease in the afternoon, he said.

The weather tomorrow was expected to be cloudy with some showers.

Manawatu-Rangitikei Federated Farmers President Gordon McKellar had spoken to some farmers in the area, who told him the flooding was worse in the hills.

Farmers always kept an eye on river levels and weather conditions, but anyone could get caught out, he said.

Police spokeswoman Kim Perks said police officers were called out to manage traffic in Levin, Linton, Shannon, Tokomaru and rural Feilding.

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