Stop banks under pressure at Waitakaruru

Emergency sand bagging is at full pace in Waitakaruru to avoid breaches of stop banks that would lead to a possible evacuation of residents.

Thames Civil Defence is not forcibly evacuating people at this stage but all residents have been advised of the situation and some have voluntarily evacuated. As the lead authority for Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki and Matamata-Piako districts, Thames Civil Defence is in close liaison with the local authority Hauraki District Council and Environment Waikato, which are both undertaking urgent remedial works.

“Sand bagging and channelling has directed water into the designed course and we’re not requiring anyone to evacuate at this stage,” says Thames-Coromandel Mayor Philippa Barriball.

Environment Waikato engineers are onsite supporting Hauraki District Council in their efforts to contain the situation and are monitoring the stop banks closely. “The stop banks are not expected to fail but we have an imminent high tide so everyone is being kept on alert,” says Mayor Barriball.

Communication is down for anyone using the Vodafone network, which is down on the whole of the peninsula from Te Aroha to north Coromandel.