All the roads out of the Far North were closed this morning due to slips on State Highway 1 and flooding on State Highway 12.
This morning's high tide accompanied by the storm created havoc for Far North locals.
Local resident Kana Pourewa told Te Kāea, “I woke this morning to find my home full of water. I had to call out to my grandson across the way to come over and help me clean up the house.”
Local resident Ken Taka says, “Down Whangaroa no power down there for a couple of hours at least. I think the road to Kaitaia on State Highway ten was closed down by the police for some time but it’s been open since.”
Despite being surrounded by water, today things were different in the flood prone township of Kaeo.
“150 mils up the Huia and 120 up in the Puketi forest and those sort of numbers normally mean we have problems but not the problems we used to get. I think that the work that they've done with the flood management is actually working it makes a difference.”
By this afternoon, a single lane had reopened on SH1, while on the east coast, SH12 was reopened once floodwaters receded with the outgoing tide.
“Those who have lived here for generations are used to this but we're fed up with it. But we've got to stay strong and continue to help one another.”
