Heavy rain causes evacuations from Hawke's Bay coastal areas

Hastings District Council Civil Defence has facilitated the evacuation of 30 Waimarama residents, as heavy rain caused flooding around the coastal areas of Hawke’s Bay.

Those residents were evacuated early this morning and have been accommodated at the Waimarama Fire Station.

A number of other people have also left Te Awanga and surrounding areas and have been accomodated at Haumoana School.

Flooding has caused the township of Clifton and Ocean Beach to be isolated as is the settlement of Waipatiki due to slips on the Tongoio Road.

Waimarama Road remains closed due to slips and a tree which has fallen across the access road.

State Highway 2 from Napier to Wairoa has been closed at the Pan Pac mill, as slips have come down at the Devils Elbow.

Rivers around the region are at five year flood levels.

Civil Defence Controller Mike Maguire says”residents in the coastal areas who don’t need to leave their homes should stay put”

He asks that residents avoid driving through deep water and call Hastings District Council if they are in need of assistance.