Severe rainfall causes flooding in Auckland, around 60 homes evacuated
Aucklanders are being forced to evacuate their homes after severe rainfall overnight caused localised flooding.
Around 50 to 60 homes have been evacuated and an emergency shelter has been set up at 6 Henderson Valley Road.
West Auckland has been hit the worst with flooding in Helensville, Kumeu, Henderson Valley and Rānui.
Firefighters received around 170 weather related calls overnight.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said evacuation advice overrides Covid-19 restrictions.
Auckland’s two vaccination centres at the Trusts Arena and the Airport have been damaged and will not open until 11am.
SH16 through Kumeu is closed due to flooding between Matua Road and Riverhead Road, and Waka Kotahi has reports of fallen trees and slips across the wider network.
MetService said heavy rain is expected to continue throughout Tuesday.
Neighbourly spokesperson Sarah Moore encourages people to check in on their neighbours - especially if they’re elderly or alone.
“But ensure you're abiding by Level 4 rules consider emailing, texting or using Neighbourly to send a message. Even if they're doing well, the connection will mean a lot,” she said.
“When there's a break in the weather carefully head outside to check whether anything is blocking your drains or has come loose in a storm. Don't rush - things could be slippery. If you do notice damage make sure you take photos in case you need to lodge an insurance claim.”
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
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89.4% Yes, it's fair
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9.8% No, it's unreasonable
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0.8% Other - I'll share below
Smoke in Mt Wellington
Smoke has been seen coming from the crater of the Auckland maunga Mt Wellington.
Images of the smoke began appearing on social media on Friday afternoon.
Around 1.45pm, Fire and Emergency (Fenz) shift manager Josh Pennefather told the NZ Herald a crew was fighting a fire of about 60 square metres in size.
”It’s spreading up hill … [but] there’s no property at risk at this stage,” Pennefather said.
Six fire trucks were in attendance working to contain a grass fire that's spreading up the maunga.
A helicopter was on its way to assist firefighting efforts, he added.
At 2pm, Pennefather shared that the fire was contained and they were working to extinguish it, including “keeping an eye on a whole bunch of hot spots“.
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