Nelson Tasman wakes to its third day of flood recovery with another important route blocked off due to a slip at 4am this morning.
Waka Kotahi NZTA says Rocks Rd on State Highway 6 between Bisley Ave and Richardson Rd is closed to all traffic as it assesses the site and containment barriers are being installed.
“Drivers must avoid the area and should detour through Nelson via Waimea Road and Whakatu Drive,” it says.
Other significant road closures remain across the Top of the South including State Highway 6 between Kawatiri to Kohatu and State Highway 63 between St Arnaud and Renwick.
Metservice says while no weather warnings are in place for Nelson, the region could expect periods of rain turning to isolated showers this morning, then clearing with fine spells increasing, all paired with developing southwesterlies.
Civil Defence Nelson Tasman says more of the impacts are arising from Friday’s deluge which triggered a State of Emergency for the region, which stays put this morning.
“Our Welfare teams are stepping up to provide information and connect people for assistance,” it says.
“Yesterday Fire Emergency New Zealand took to the air in helicopters to get a good understanding of what is happening in areas that are still not accessible by land.”
An Emergency Information and Assistance Hub at the Motueka Recreation Centre opened at 9am this morning to provide welfare assistance and representatives from Te Te Kotahi Trust and various insurance companies will be available to answer any questions.
The base will open daily from 9am to 5pm and from Monday, there will be additional agencies onsite to provide further support.
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence says a boil water notice remains in place for much of the region and urges the public to refrain from body boarding in flood waters and to treat all water as contaminated.
Te Tauihu (Top of the South) iwi also placed a rāhui across the entire northern coastline of Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui yesterday as floodwaters continue to pose significant disruptions across the rohe.
It covers the area from Te Parinui o Whiti (the White Bluffs) in the east, and west to Kahurangi Point, including Aorere and Tai Tapu.
It covers all coastlines, river mouths, and floodwaters, and prevents the gathering of seafood and kai in these areas as well as swimming and entering the water.
The rāhui was implemented by the Iwi Emergency Management Rōpū, which works as part of the Nelson Tasman Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), with the support of the eight mana whenua iwi of Te Tauihu.
Iwi Emergency Management Rōpū Tikanga Pou lead Shane Graham said the rāhui would remain in place as long as te Taiao (environment) dictated.
“It has to be healthy and that could be some time off. It’s sad that we are here again, but that is Tāwhirimātea and what we must do as people of the land is work with that - work with what we are handed,” he says.
The eight iwi currently have representatives working as part of Emergency Management Operations Centres in both Nelson Tasman and Wairau.
Visit: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner for State Highway updates.
Visit: https://shorturl.at/HrDww for local road closures in Nelson and Tasman districts.
