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RNZ News
11 hours ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Tasman, Nelson to prepare for more heavy rain following flooding
Minister for Emergency Management Mark Mitchell and Tasman Deputy Mayor Stuart Bryant speak to reporters after a helicopter survey of the flooding. Photo: Tasman District Council / Facebook The storm-battered Tasman and Nelson area is now having to prepare for more heavy rain on Thursday and Friday. It comes as the area is cleaning up after heavy rain on Friday and Saturday. RNZ journalist Samantha Gee was part of a group - including Minister for Emergency Management Mark Mitchell - which surveyed the damage by helicopter. The worst affected area appeared to be the township of Kohatu, beside the Motueka River, and across to Quinney's Bush, she said. The flooding has left one person dead , and caused damage across the Motukea Valley, stock losses and road closures. Following the helicopter survey on Sunday afternoon, Civil Defence controller for the area Alec Louverdis told reporters staff were being prepared for another bout of rain. "Unfortunately it is not just the response but we are looking ahead to Thursday and Friday with the news that we can expect some very high rainfall. "It is the last thing we wanted to hear but something we are preparing for." Parts of the area are experiencing problems with cellular coverage. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ The locality of Kohatu, beside the Motueka River, near Quinney's Bush, remained one of the worst hit areas. State Highway 6 through the area was closed. Two other roads had re-opened - State highway 63 in Marlborough and the Wakefield Street to St Arnaud route, Louverdis said. Parts of the area, though, were experiencing problems with cellular coverage, especially Wakefield, Street Arnaud and Richmond, after slips took out parts of the fibre optic cable. Chorus today said it had managed to restore some connections around St Arnaud, but Louverdis said other parts of the connection had been badly hit and Civil Defence was trying to get Starlink connections for some people affected. Tasman's deputy mayor Stuart Bryant - who was also present in the helicopter on Sunday - told reporters damage to the Motueka Valley was more extensive than could be seen from the ground. "Most of the damage progressively gets worse as you go up the Motueka Valley until you get the Wangapeka confluence, [there's a] severely damaged hop farm and sheep and beef farm there with lots of damaged fence, lots of gravel across the paddocks," Bryant said. During this afternoon's press conference, Mitchell said a rain radar for the top of the South Island was a priority. Nelson's closest rain radar is in Wellington and the next is further south in Westland, limiting the region's access to accurate weather data. Mitchell said he would look at rectifying that. Minister for Emergency Management Mark Mitchell. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii "Definitely we're talking about a rain radar, I'm very motivated to try and progress that as quickly as we can because it's obvious that it can provide more early warning for the decision makers," he said. "The other thing we're doing is we're bringing NIWA and MetService together and quite simply the reason we're doing that is so we can provide much better data and a much better product out to the regions, the CDEM teams and the mayors." Damage assessments are continuing across the region Anyone with any worries or issues should contact the Civil Defence community hub set up in the Motueka Rec Centre. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Watch: Extensive damage caused by ongoing Tasman floods
An RNZ reporter surveying flood damage by helicopter says she has seen widespread and extensive damage extending up the Motueka Valley. RNZ reporter Samantha Gee was on a reconnaissance mission for Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell after heavy rain hit the area . She said the worst affected area appeared to be the township of Kohatu, beside the Motueka River, and across to Quinney's Bush. Flooding in the Tasman region in June 2025. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ State Highway 6 was still covered in water for several hundred metres, and there were slips and road closures across the Tasman District. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ There also appeared to be significant damage to the Great Taste cycleway trail beside the highway. "Many farms have been inundated," she said. "You can see that stock has been lost." Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ The Wai-iti River was still running very high, though the Motueka River had receded. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Tasman Deputy Mayor Stuart Bryant told RNZ after surveying the damage he had not seen the level of water damage for some time. "There's lots of water around, much more than I have seen in a long long time." Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Mitchell was about to begin a briefing to reporters. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Photos: Extensive damage caused by ongoing Tasman floods
Flooding in the Tasman region in June 2025. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ An RNZ reporter surveying flood damage by helicopter says she has seen widespread and extensive damage extending up the Motueka Valley. RNZ reporter Samantha Gee was on a reconnaissance mission for Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell after heavy rain hit the area . She said the worst affected area appeared to be the township of Kohatu, beside the Motueka River, and across to Quinney's Bush. Flooding in the Tasman region in June 2025. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ State Highway 6 was still covered in water for several hundred metres, and there were slips and road closures across the Tasman District. Flooding in the Tasman region in June 2025. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ There also appeared to be significant damage to the Great Taste cycleway trail beside the highway. "Many farms have been inundated," she said. "You can see that stock has been lost." Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ The Wai-iti River was still running very high, though the Motueka River had receded. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Tasman Deputy Mayor Stuart Bryant told RNZ after surveying the damage he had not seen the level of water damage for some time. "There's lots of water around, much more than I have seen in a long long time." Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Mitchell was about to begin a briefing to reporters. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
