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Cyclone Updates

February 17, 2023

Cyclone Gabrielle News Image

UPDATE #12 Monday 20 February 11am

We have been advised that the Taihape Napier Road will most likely be closed for the week while contractors are clearing slips around the Tararua area and west side of the Gentle Annie. They are also working on opening the road on the Napier/Hastings side.

UPDATE #11 Friday 17 February 2pm

Road Closures

  • Taihape-Napier Road (Gentle Annie), Timahunga to 15km inside Hastings District remains closed.
    Crews are working on both district sides to clear the road. Crews will be working Saturday.
  • Pohonui Road, still closed. We have crews working from both ends. Crews working Saturday.
  • Watershed Road, is open, but caution is needed as hills and trees are still on the move.
  • Turakina Valley Road 3, is open, caution required as hills still moving.
  • All other roads open, but care is required as most have have slips that will need cleaning up.

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UPDATE #10 Friday 20 February, 11.30pm

Road Closures

The Taihape Napier Road (Gentle Annie) remains closed from Timahunga Station to about 15km inside Hastings District from the boundary at Kuripapango.

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UPDATE #9 Wednesday 15 February, 2.30pm

Road Closures

  • Taihape Napier Rd will stay closed tonight due to large slips.
  • Pohonui Rd closed by three large slips.

All other roads are now open.

UPDATE #8 Wednesday 15 February, 11am

Rangitīkei River levels are receding. A moderate rise in water levels is forecast at Mangaweka today, but they are expected to drop away again and not reach flood levels

Some more rain is coming and we are closely monitoring our other river systems including Turakina and Whangaehu, while these are high, they are not currently predicted to reach flood levels. Our team will continue to monitor and is ready to respond if required.

Road closures

SH 4 Raetihi to Upokongaro. This road is currently closed. Northbound traffic please use SH1 and SH49 and the reverse for southbound traffic.SH 1 Marton, near the intersection with Calico Line, is closed due to flooding. Please follow the detour provided. Plan your journey - keep an eye on Waka Kotahi's website for updates.

Water Conservation Notice for Hunterville and Mangaweka

The water treatment plant is still under significant pressure due to the increased volume of water. We're asking the Hunterville and Mangaweka communities to continue conserving water to ensure we can retain water supplies to both these towns.

Please stay away from rivers and other waterways

There have been a lot of people sightseeing, walking and playing in floodwaters across our region.If you cannot see the road do not drive through it. Do not play or walk through the water as it could be contaminated or have debris.

Be prepared. The last few days have shown how important it is to be prepared for the unexpected - check that you have grab bags ready in your household, know how to get to higher ground if you need to and make sure you have any medications you or your whānau might need for the next few days.

Our thoughts remain with those who have been impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, and we will continue to update the community as new information comes to hand.

CYCLONE UPDATE #7 Tuesday 14 February, 1.34pm

The Rangitīkei River has reached its expected peak of 7.5m at Mangaweka.

The river will peak at Bulls at approximately 3pm and then finally reach Scotts Ferry around 7pm (missing the 4pm high tide).

We are not expecting the river to breach its banks and it should remain within its flood protection scheme - however we would like to advise people to please stay clear of the river banks for your safety.


CYCLONE UPDATE #6 Tuesday 14 February, 12.55pm

The Taihape Napier Road has suffered significant damage in both Rangitīkei and Hastings sections of the road. The road is closed until further notice from Timahunga Station to Kuripapango (near the Rangitīkei District Council boundary).


CYCLONE UPDATE #5 Tuesday 14 February, 12.45pm

As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, all swim spots monitored by Horizons Regional Council have been placed under red alert which means they are unsuitable for swimming. The public are advised to stay out of rivers, lakes and beaches for a minimum of 72 hours following heavy and prolonged rainfall and to avoid all flood water as it may be contaminated.

For more information, please visit LAWA’s website: https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/swimming/



CYCLONE UPDATE #4 Tuesday 14 February, 11.30am

The Rangitīkei River is the most affected by rainfall in our district, however the water levels are already starting to stablise and we expect them to start dropping soon.

Please be aware that there could be storm surges along the coastline.

We are monitoring the Turakina and Whangaehu rivers and there are currently no issues.The Desert Road is closed because of fallen trees.

Northbound motorists can detour via SH49, SH4, SH47 and on to SH1.

A National State of Emergency has been declared which only applies to the regions that have declared a local State of Emergency. This does not include Rangitīkei District.

We are continuing to have regular meetings with our teams within Rangitīkei District Council and with Horizons Regional Council who are watching all river levels across the region.

We will keep monitoring the situation and provide updates as they come to hand.

Our thoughts are with all those impacted by this weather event.


CYCLONE UPDATE #3 Tuesday 14 February, 10.15am

The upper Rangitīkei River has received a decent amount of rainfall overnight and Horizons Regional Council are modelling about an 8-metre peak at Mangaweka at midday today.Although this is a decent level for the Rangitīkei River, we don’t expect too much overflow. We will continue monitoring the situation closely and provide another update shortly.


CYCLONE UPDATE #2 Monday 13 February, 5.42pm.

We've been working closely with Horizons Regional Council to forecast the impact that Cyclone Gabrielle may have on the Rangitīkei River levels. We are expecting to see an increase in river levels and we will continue to update this post as we monitor the situation. Please see advice from Horizons Regional Council.

CYCLONE UPDATE #1 Monday 13 February, 11am.

Like the rest of the country, we’ve been keeping a close eye on the weather this weekend. Strong Wind Warnings have been issued for most of the Lower North Island including the Rangitīkei District. We’ll let you know if anything changes as Cyclone Gabrielle approaches, but otherwise please make sure to keep an eye on Metservice for the latest updates.