Landslide in Porirua hits two homes as heavy rain continues in Wellington

Monday, 30 November 2020

Heavy rain hit Wellington on Monday night.

A landslide has damaged two homes in Porirua, as heavy rain fell across the Wellington region.

One home was evacuated and another was likely to follow, after the landslide on Moonsail Drive, Whitby, just after 9pm on Monday, a Fire and Emergency spokesman said.

Fifty to sixty millimetres of rain was predicted to fall during the night.

A heavy rain warning was in place for Wellington and Kapiti Coast, south of Ōtaki, until 1am, and a strong wind warning was in place for the same area until 10am on Tuesday.

The clean-up from flash flooding in Plimmerton over the weekend may increase after more heavy rain.

Emergency services received multiple calls related to flooding in the evening, in Tawa, Plimmerton and areas in the Hutt Valley.

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Resident Alice Moore shovels the mound of mud and silt sitting outside her Plimmerton house after Sunday’s flooding.

MetService anticipated heavy rain might cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, and surface flooding and slips were possible, with driving conditions potentially hazardous.

Between 7pm and 9pm on Monday, MetService data showed Wainuiomata experienced 27.6mm of rain, Lower Hutt, 20.2mm, Upper Hutt, 19.2mm, Wellington central, 15.4mm and Porirua, 7.2mm.

New Zealand Transport Agency asked drivers to slow down and increase following distances due to surface flooding on State Highway 1 urban motorway at Ngauranga Gorge, SH1 from Plimmerton to Pukerua Bay, and SH2 from Petone to Haywards Interchange.

The SH1 Johnsonville southbound offramp was previously closed due to flooding but has since reopened.

Following heavy rain on Sunday, the roundabout on State Highway 1 at Plimmerton was closed due to flooding. NZTA said there is a risk similar flooding could occur again tonight.

A pedestrian was taken to hospital in moderate condition after being involved with a crash with a motorcycle on The Terrace, between Bolton St and Aurora Tce, which has since reopened after being temporarily closed.

Has there been any flooding in your neighbourhood? Send your photos and video to news@dompost.co.nz

Greater Wellington Regional Council said Sunday’s flash flooding in Plimmerton was a one-in-10-year flooding event.

It recorded 51mm of rainfall at the Whenua Tapu Cemetery in Plimmerton, the third highest three-hour total since 1991.

At the Battle Hill Farm Park a three-hour rainfall total of 59mm was recorded.

“The rain there was very intense for periods, with 20mm falling in just 20 minutes,” a GWRC spokesman said.

Further north at Te Horo and Ōtaki 50mm-60mm of rain was recorded over six hours, also causing some flooding, which is estimated to be a one-in-seven-year event.

The Red Cross Kapiti-Mana disaster response team was activated in Plimmerton on Monday afternoon and were on the ground supporting residents in affected areas.

Porirua City Council said 20 truckloads of mud were cleared on Monday, in preparation for further rain.

A council spokeswoman said 15 homes had been deemed uninhabitable and it was assisting two families with emergency accommodation. Others have made their own arrangements.

NZTA regional transport systems manager Mark Owen said there was again a risk of water accumulation around the Plimmerton roundabout and on State Highway 2 around Petone.

High tide in Porirua is expected at 11pm on Monday.