Extent of Northland flooding captured from the sky by recreational pilots

Saturday, 18 July 2020

Intense surface flooding has closed roads and forced evacuations in parts of Northland.

Flooding caused by Northland’s “once in 500 years” rainfall has been captured from the skies by members of the Whangārei Flying Club.

After a night where thunderstorms battered Northland, Coromandel and Tairawhiti, the recreational pilots were still able to take to the skies on Saturday morning.

Club member Rusty said the flooding was “as good as I've probably ever seen it”.

From the sky, flooding stretches as far as the eye can see.

Civil Defence welfare centres have been set up for people forced to leave flooded homes and the Far North is “effectively cut off” by road closures caused by torrential rain and landslides.

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Members of the Whangarei Flying Club snapped some photos of the Whangarei Falls looking muddier than usual.

The amount of rain that fell overnight was similar to what we’d see when an ex-cyclone hits the country, MetService meteorologist Rob Kerr told Stuff.

Rainfall has churned up Whangārei Falls into a muddy torrent.

From the sky, the biggest change Whangārei Flying Club members could see was the colour of Whangārei Falls and the harbour, both churned up into a muddy brown.

Farm streams had swollen and burst their banks, but Rusty suspected a lot of damage would be hidden inside people’s homes.

For many Northland locals, the clean-up was underway on Saturday morning. Photos on social media show staff sweeping mud and debris from their shopfronts and carparks.

Farm streams have been swollen by a night of heavy rain.

MetService's weather stations recorded “frankly quite incredible numbers,” overnight, MetService said.

Club member Rusty said the harbour was “definitely yellow”.

Whangārei Flying Club members said the real damage of the flooding was probably hidden in people’s homes.

Some clothing stores were closed due to flood damage. The Whangārei Quarry Garden posted on social media saying they were closed due to “significant damage”.

Civil Defence Northland has strongly recommended residents avoid unessential travel.

'A number of vehicles had to be abandoned and some occupants rescued in the dark last night,' it said in a post on social media.