Hutt River flood fears ease

BY ANTONIO BRADLEY

LATEST: Fears that the Hutt River may flood have eased.

Concern over possible flooding saw Civil Defence activate an emergency plan for the area early this morning.

This followed exceptionally heavy rainfall in the Tararua Ranges.

Block Rd, in Melling was closed.

However the river has now receded, and the road has been reopened, Hutt City Council emergency management controller Paul Nickalls said.

This morning, police told advised motorists to either leave for work early or late so as to minimise congestion, and to take extra care.

A tree branch fell over one lane of The Terrace off-ramp, causing some rush hour delays heading into Wellington.

Gusts of 140kmh per hour were recorded on the Rimutaka Hill Road, and winds of 150kmh at Castlepoint.

In Wellington, there were gusts of 106kmh at Kelburn.

The rain has also caused slips and surface flooding to State Highway 57 between Levin and Palmerston North.

The worst affected areas are the roads east of Levin and the areas near Shannon and Tokomaru.

Motorists who need to travel along SH57 are advised to be cautious and to expect heavy delays.

As well as dealing with flooded roads,  including Kimberley Rd, near Levin, emergency service workers are also cleaning up a series of slips on Makerua Hill.

Early reports have some farm houses being surrounded by paddocks of water.

Manawatu-Rangitikei Federated Farmers president Gordon McKellar said there had been no reports of lost stock, but farmers in the area would be keeping an eye on river levels as rain continues to fall in the region.

''It's normally the established farmers who know the weather but it's when you get someone new to the area or on a lifestyle block that they get caught out,'' he said.

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 north westerlies,'' he said.

Mr Gullery said the rain would pick up in the late morning and midday today, but was expected to ease in the afternoon.

High winds have brought trees down on a few small roads around Dunedin.

Rain and winds are forecast to continue over the next few days. 

- © Fairfax NZ News