With heavy rain and high winds forecast for Auckland and the surrounding areas this weekend, it's important to be prepared.
Remember you can keep updated with any outages in your area via the
Vector app or our
online outage map
If you see any damaged equipment please stay safe, keep a distance away from it and report it to us on 0508 832 867.
On Behalf Of EMERGENCY Auckland Civil Defence:
Prepare for more severe weather
10 March 12pm
Heavy rain is battering Northland and parts of the Waikato region but hasn’t, as yet, hit Auckland.
Further bursts of heavy rain are expected in the Auckland region between now and Sunday and forecasts will be reviewed throughout the day.
Localised downpours are possible anywhere in the region from Friday and throughout the weekend, with the highest risk times expected to be Friday night and into Saturday morning.
While not everyone will experience a downpour over the course of the next few days, those that do should expect some impacts from them. Downpours can cause flash flooding, land slips, and make driving hazardous.
Auckland Civil Defence and Emergency Management’s Head of Emergency Operations Aaron Davis says the council’s Civil Defence team is monitoring weather forecasts in preparation for the weekend, and are also helping out those still affected by flooding earlier in the week.
“MetService tells us that weather coming through tonight and tomorrow morning could be as bad, or worse, than that which caused flooding earlier in the week.
“The difficult thing is that, with such volatile weather patterns, we can’t pinpoint the areas that will be most affected. This makes it very important for all Aucklanders to keep an eye on weather updates and make sensible decisions this weekend,” he says.
Some residents in the Kawakawa Bay, Waiti Bay and Orere Point area are still experiencing power outages and isolation due to slips.
“We’re working with emergency responders, other council teams and Vector to make sure these communities are ok and have all they need while access and power is being worked on.
“Our south eastern communities are being very resilient and looking out for each other – this is really important in an emergency situation,” says Mr Davis.
Preparedness
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Check your drains and gutters to ensure these aren’t blocked. These can cause flooding issues during heaving rain.
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Take extreme care if you are driving in heavy rain, and delay trips if possible. Do not drive through floodwaters.
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Consider alternative plans if you have an outdoor event scheduled this weekend.
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If you live on a rural property, think about your livestock rotation for the weekend, especially if areas of your farms are flood-prone.
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Keep an eye on the weather forecast.
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If life or property is at risk, call 111.
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If you experience stormwater issues or trees down on public land, call Auckland Council on (09) 301 0101.
Watercare urges Aucklanders to reduce water use
Water treatment at Watercare’s Ardmore plant has been slowed down to manage the amount of silt coming into the plant in water from its dams. As a result, Watercare is asking Aucklanders to reduce their water use by 20 litres (two buckets) per day.
Read more on Watercare’s website.
Local roads
The following roads in the Clevedon-Maraetai area remain closed:
Damage to land and properties
Properties in south east Auckland suffered some damage and flooding as a result of Wednesday’s storm. Those affected should contact their insurance company in the first instance and rural people can contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254 for additional support.
Regional parks closed
Tapapakanga, Hunua Ranges, Waitawa and parts of Waharau regional parks remain closed due to flooding impacts. There is no public access allowed at these parks until further notice.
Engineers will be assessing tracks, bridges and slips and reopening considerations will be made once the bad weather has subsided.