Emergency crews are rushing to get to people stranded on roofs in Hawke’s Bay - including dozens of orchard workers caught up in the heavy flooding.
A State of Emergency has been extended to the entirety of the Hawke’s Bay region as evacuations take place in every district and city due to Cyclone Gabrielle.
Defence forces are on their way to the area and rescues are currently under way in Esk Valley.
Transpower NZ have lost supply of electricity which has affected all of Napier and some of Hastings this morning.
A photo provided to NZME shows some areas have been hit so hard by flooding that water has reached to just below the roof line of some small buildings.
The photo shows orchard workers perched on the roofs of the buildings with the water mere centimetres below.
The orchard is on the banks of the Tutaekuri River in Hawke’s Bay.
Meanwhile, a part of the Puketapu Bridge has been washed away by floodwaters, while the most affected area appears to be the Esk Valley, where homes are underwater. All residents of Rissington were evacuated overnight.
River levels across the region are very high and people should stay away from them. Heavy rain has filled the Mangarau detention dam in Havelock North, with the excess flowing into the Mangarau Stream.
Residents will notice higher flows than usual in the stream and are being asked to stay away from it. The Waiohiki Bridge is closed and the Tutaekuri River is very high; residents are being asked to stay away from it.
The council is evacuating 15 flooded properties in Central Hawke’s Bay on Tuesday morning.
People were seen walking out of floodwaters on Links Rd, between Napier and Hastings in Hawke’s Bay, where a torrent of water caught several people by surprise.
Fire and Emergency responded to dozens of weather-related calls in Hawke’s Bay overnight, including trees down on homes in Napier and Hastings districts, evacuations and rescues of people stuck between trees on roads in the Hastings District.
There are power outages across the region, with 16,082 Unison customers in Napier and Hastings without power according to the Unison website.
Damage to the Esk River Bridge on State Highway 2 north of Bay View (which was put under speed restrictions in 2022 due to its age and condition) and the Puketapu Bridge has made both impassable.
Waka Kotahi said in its latest traffic bulletin that SH2 Napier to Gisborne and SH5 Napier to Taupō remained closed due to large amounts of surface flooding, slips and debris and possible flooding.
The declaration gives Civil Defence Emergency Management special powers to deal with the Cyclone Gabrielle situation.
Ormsby says the declaration reflects the seriousness of the Cyclone Gabrielle situation across all four council areas.
Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said the most important thing was to keep the community safe.
“There are areas of Napier and Hastings that have been impacted worse than others and this declaration will enable councils and emergency services to act swiftly,” Wise said.
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said residents must heed police and Civil Defence messaging. “The most important thing is that we all stay safe. If you’re able, shelter in place, if there is danger call 111 immediately.”
Fire and Emergency NZ were called to overnight to trees falling on houses in Hastings District and Napier, to assist with evacuations, and to rescue people stuck between trees down on the road in Hastings District
A Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group spokesperson said the key message was to stay home and conserve water.
”Stay safe, stay home and stay off the roads, and limit water use.”
Meanwhile, a worker responding to the emergency, who did not want to be named, said he ended up in waist-deep floodwaters on SH51 at Awatoto on Tuesday morning about 4.30am.
”In a moment the car was fully submerged and I had to abandon it.”
He was helped by other motorists.
Wastewater network overwhelmed
Hastings and Napier residents are asked to reduce water use as much as possible as the storm has inundated the waste water network.
Water should be used for drinking and personal washing only, Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management said.
Do not use dishwashers or washing machines, and avoid showering if possible.
The issue is causing toilets to back up. Teams are across the district working to keep the network as clear as possible.
Hastings District Council said on their Facebook page that the Whirinaki/Esk and Te Pohue water supplies had lost power.
The post said there is water in the reservoirs, but it needs to last as long as possible.
GoBay Hawke’s Bay has confirmed there will be no bus services running on Tuesday morning in a post on Facebook.
”With many streets flooded or blocked, and rising river levels - road conditions are not safe,” the post said.
”We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you up to date on whether services can safely resume this afternoon.”
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council reminded residents with water tanks to take extra care with their water, boiling it for 2-3 minutes before use.
