By Lachlan Forsyth
Massive flooding in the Bay of Plenty has left rivers running at dangerously high levels; the road from Opotiki to Ohope is still closed and while residents are being advised to stay inside, many in Whakatane have been forced to evacuate their homes.
The rain has largely stayed away for most of today, but with water still coming down off the hill country and high tide arriving later tonight, there are still big concerns about how the swollen river will cope.
Whale Island may have been a picture, but it wasn't nearly as impressive as an angry Whakatane River this morning.
The swollen river was raging throughout the day – at its peak flowing at 2,200 cumecs a second – that power proved too much for the banks built to contain it.
Emergency repairs had to be conducted after a stopbank succumbed to the floodwaters and inundated farmland.
Although houses near the breach were evacuated, stock were left to fend for themselves as water continued to surge through the gap, and water levels on the sodden farmland continued to rise.
Further inland there were frantic efforts to shore up flood defences.
The combination of rain, river and tidal forces left Whakatane's waterfront looking more like a floodplain, and meant some local business owners were struggling to keep their heads above water.
“It's been a pretty horrendous night as you can see but we're hoping it's on the improve,” says one business owner.
Whakatane's Wharf Shed was a little closer to the water than was probably comfortable.
“We're at the top of the tide at the moment and hopefully at the worst – just waiting for it to go down,” he says.
The Bay of Plenty has been drenched with torrential rain over the past few days.
The biggest downfall was at the Waimana catchment which recorded almost 340mm of rain in 24 hours.
The dangerously high river levels and fears of what might happen with tonight's king tide meant the town's flood gates had to be brought into use.
“They've never been put to the test but we definitely do need them,” says resident Chris Timmins. “They have the gate that goes across where they're putting the sandbags – that's only been used on about three occasions that I know of, but we definitely need it here today.”
The dangerous waters couldn't deter some determined locals; some men attempting to dislodge debris from the main bridge over the Whakatane River.
A channel cut into the river mouth eased some of the pressure, but river levels were still dropping at a painfully slow rate.
“I think the crucial time here is… at the midnight tide tonight. It'll be a good test for these walls,” Mr Timmins says.
Many local were enjoying the spectacle today, but with high tide fast approaching the novelty may soon wear off.
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