A key Nelson state highway is expected to remain closed due to slips until further notice and hundreds of homes in the Tasman region remain without power as the major clean-up continues across the top of the South Island.
The Nelson Tasman region remains under a state of emergency after up to 200mm of rain fell in some areas over Friday night into Saturday morning. About 100 homes were evacuated.
NZTA regional manager Mark Owen said the situation with State Highway 6 at Rocks Rd was “serious”.
“We have had crews up assessing the site, removing the material, and monitoring earth movement over the weekend.
“It does mean the road closure must remain in place until further notice. There is a clear and present risk to public safety, which must be carefully managed.”
Owen said the closure would have a “significant impact” on traffic and that drivers must be ready.
“Thousands of vehicles use this route daily, shifting them on to the detour route on Waimea Rd will create congestion and delays — especially during morning and afternoon rush hours.”
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence group controller Roger Ball said the slip was likely to impact the road for “pretty much the whole week”.
Assessment teams visited properties today, focusing on Mārahau, Motueka Valley, Tadmore Valley, Tapawera, Wangapeka, Sherry River Valley, Riwaka, and Brooklyn.
Currently, under 200 households remain without power, according to the Tasman District Council, with work on repairing the network recommencing this morning.
Several schools and early learning centres — including Tapawera Area School, Riwaka School, Brooklyn School, and Tapawera Kindergarten — would be closed tomorrow, with buses possibly affected.
Storm ripped through the area around the Bethany Park camp in Tasman, leaving a trail of destruction. (Source: 1News)
State Highway 6 reopened between Belgrove and Kohatu, restoring direct access between Nelson and Murchison/West Coast, but drivers should expect single-lane sections, stop-go traffic, and ongoing hazards such as slips and fallen trees.
Public showers were available in Motueka at the Top 10 Holiday Park (9am–4pm) and the Recreation Centre (9am–8:30pm), with a water tanker at the Recreation Centre Monday morning and welfare support offered through until Wednesday.
As of 2pm Sunday, AMI, State and NZI have received more than 150 claims from the weather event across home, contents, motor and commercial policies.
“We are anticipating claims volumes will rise as residents return to their properties and assess any damage,” a spokesperson said. “AMI, NZI and State will also be on the ground tomorrow in Motueka to assist customers.”
Silt disposal had been temporarily paused due to the presence of the highly invasive Asiatic Knotweed which could be spread by dumping.
“Our advice at this stage is to please leave silt on site, where it safe and practical to do so. If you have cleaned up silt and dumped it, please let us know where it’s been dumped,” the council said.
Temporary boil water notices are in place for residents of Tapawera, and permanent boil water notices remain in place for Dovedale, Redwood Valley and 88 Valley.
“This is due to be reviewed tomorrow but will likely remain in place for longer.”
Officials took a helicopter flight over the affected area this afternoon. (Source: Supplied)
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell has said damage costs would be “in the millions, without a doubt” as officials work to determine exact estimates.
Tasman District Mayor Tim King said yesterday seeing the damage from the air had been “really hard” and that there was a “lot more damage” than the last weather event.
“Some of the areas that were badly impacted last time, particularly some of the horticultural crops in Motueka Valley, have been absolutely devastated this time,” he said.
“So what was a bit of a clean up job is now like a complete rebuild, and that’s going to be the case right around the district.”
King said the flooding was “probably the most devastating” he had ever seen.
Torrential downpours deluge districts still trying to recover from last week’s floods. (Source: 1News)
“I’ve spent my whole life in this community… It’s pretty heartbreaking when you have these conversations with people… there’s that sense of where do you even start?”
Tasman District Council principal hydrologist Martin Doyle said the wet weather over the past two weeks had been “relentless”.
“We’ve had half a year’s rain in the last two weeks, and that’s really a key statistic to show how saturated everything is.”
He told 1News it was the worst he had seen in his 45 years as a hydrologist.
“It was concerning. Everything happened very quickly, and suddenly we were looking at evacuating Tākaka township, and then later on Motueka township, there were a whole lot of small communities being affected quite quickly.”
Emergency crews carried out at least 85 swift water rescues in the Ruidoso area, including of people who were trapped in their homes and cars. (Source: Associated Press)
While the saturation of the ground would be gone within a couple of weeks, the event had changed the landscape in many areas, he said.
“There’s places in the upper Motueka in particular where the rivers have changed course completely. People have lost big chunks of their farms, more than half of their farms, in some cases.”
Welfare support is available today at Motueka Recreation Centre from 10am to 3pm.
