Cyclone update - New Zealand - 03/16/2015

Cyclone Pam makes its mark on Gisborne coast

More than 100 people have been evacuted from the Gisborne region as the remnants of Cyclone Pam continue their southward track, bringing high winds, rain and rising sea levels.

Radio NZ,

16 March, 2015

MetService said more than 150 millimetres of rain had already fallen in the Gisborne ranges, and gusts of up to 150 kilometres per hour were expected in some parts of the region.

About 250 customers in coastal and rural areas were without power.

Hawke's Bay Civil Defence said the high tide this afternoon had not caused any problems but there was concern about the next high tide at 3am tomorrow morning.

In a statement, it said Napier's port had been closed until at least tomorrow.

Locals say during a bad storm the waves go over the top of this house in Haumoana

Photo: RNZ / Peter Fowler

Evacuations near Gisborne

Gisborne Civil Defence said ten people were evacuated from Te Araroa, and the army had also helped evacuate 24 people from Anaura Bay, and another six people were evacuated from Mangatuna, north of Tolaga Bay.

They said the Hikuwai River, now at 8 metres, historically overflowed the highway at 12 metres. The river reached more than 14 metres in Cyclone Bola.

Civil Defence said a slip on East Cape Road made the road impassable, the airstrip was unusable and power lines across the road had closed Puketiti Road south of Te Puia.

Bridge over Uawa River at Tolaga Bay on Monday morning.

Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

However Gisborne's main bridges were definitely open and were unlikely to be closed, Civil Defence said.

The area's police commander Sam Aberahama told a briefing this morning one of the main concerns was the damage forecast sea swells of up to 9 metres could cause to small communities north of the city and to the roads around Gisborne.

"The fact that some of these small communities are at sea level and they are remote, I think we're putting all our efforts into ensuring that they evacuate earlier than later" he said.

Gisborne Civil Defence Emergency Controller Peter Higgs told the briefing there was little reported damage overnight but there remained a danger of coastal erosion and possibly road closures.

Up to 200mm of rain fell in Gisborne overnight, and the wind strength was forecast to pick up further. By midday the storm - now known as an extra-tropical area of low pressure - was expected to lie some 150 kilometres east of East Cape.

Army has arrived outside the Tolaga Bay Primary School.

Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

The port and all schools in Gisborne are closed and people in some beach communities have been evacuated. Almost everyone has been moved from Anaura Bay and Nuhiti, where the road has been closed as a precaution.

Gisborne weather commentator Richard Green told Morning Report there were significant swells pushing high into the beach, and that was expected to increase.

Listen to Richard Green on Morning Report ( 2 min 41 sec )

The cyclone which brought widespread destruction to Vanuatu has been downgraded but is still carrying intense winds.

The Ministry of Civil Defence said large, possibly damaging waves and strong winds were being experienced on the east coast of the North Island, especially from Hawke's Bay to Cape Reinga. The ministry has activated the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC).

Further north, wind gusts of 144 kilometres an hour were recorded in exposed parts of the Hauraki Gulf overnight and similar strength wind in parts of Northland.

Power was cut to almost 2000 homes in the Auckland region following high winds but has now mostly been restored. Power was also restored to the 600 Waiheke Island customers cut off during the high winds. Of the 1200 households that lost electricity supplies in South Hokianga, in the Far North, only a handful are still without power.

Auckland: Great Barrier recorded gusts 68kt (144km/hr) last night; waves north of Kawau currently averaging 4m, ocnl 7m rolling through! ^GG

— MetService (@MetService) March 15, 2015

Auckland's Gulf Harbour ferry services have been cancelled but Fullers and Explore services to and from Waiheke Island are operating as normal.

Heavy swells were experienced on the eastern Bay of Plenty coast and in Whakatane, where it rained all night.

MetService severe weather warnings remained in place for Gisborne and Hawke's Bay where rain and south to southeast gales were forecast in the cyclone's wake.

"It's now an extra-tropical area of low pressure, which means the mechanisms that are driving it have changed somewhat from what was driving it in the tropics," said MetService forecaster John Law. "But [it is] still an incredibly intense area of low pressure, still close by, and we've still got those severe weather warnings."

Warnings for eastern Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island have been lifted.

Gisborne this morning as the rain started to set in.

Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

Extra emergency staff ranging from police, army, fire and health, to roading and network services have been relocated to the area.

The view from Okitu surf club