After the rain: What you need to know

Saturday, 12 July 2025

It was an early start for Robert Cole, left, and Melyssa Neame as they helped to clear and lift farm fencing in Pigeon Valley on a family member’s farm.

The weather has eased overnight but the relentless rain that hammered the region on Friday has caused a lot of damage, with homes flooded, evacuations taking place and power being cut to thousands.

The water may have washed away parts of the road and may contain debris, so treat all floodwaters as contaminated and unsafe.

Residents are now left assessing the damage and gearing up for the clean-up ahead.

Here’s what you need to know after the rain:

Welfare check - Tapawera, Tadmor, Mārahau

In a post on the Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Facebook page at 1pm, a response team will be doing a welfare check on Tapawera, Tadmor and Mārahau on Saturday via helicopter.

A paramedic will be onboard for rapid assessment and triage of people's emergency medical needs. If you need assistance, please be at the locations below at the notified times.

If you need emergency assistance, please call 111, and a separate rescue helicopter will be called. If you're in Tapawera and having trouble reaching 111, there is Starlink availability at the Community Centre.

Here is the timeline:

2pm depart Nelson for Tapawera.
2:15pm arrive at Tapawera Community Centre, 95 Main Rd
Depart Tapawera for Tadmor
3pm arrive at Tadmor Church, 797 Tadmor Valley Rd

Fallen trees have taken out a number of power lines across the district, inluding in Maisey Rd in the Moutere, Tasman, pictured.

Return to Nelson to restock supplies
4pm depart Nelson for Mārahau.
4:15 pm arrive at Mārahau fire station, 269 Sandy Bay-Marahau Rd

Kaiteriteri’s water situation

Civil Defence have got crews across the district assessing damage and working to provide welfare to affected residents.

There were reports of water outages across the Tasman District and residents were being asked to conserve water.

A water tanker was sent to the Kaiteriteri Motor Camp on Saturday morning but by the afternoon the water main had been restored, Nelson Tasman Civil Defence group controller Alec Louverdids said.

Power

Civil Defence have advised most residents across Motueka and Golden Bay have had their power restored after 13,000 homes and businesses lost theirs on Friday.

Radio New Zealand are reporting about 3200 homes remain without power in the Tasman district on Saturday.

Network Tasman's operations manager, Robert Derks, says the remaining outages are mostly on the Waimea side of Tākaka Hill, and quite spread out.

Residents on Long Plain Rd in Tākaka woke up on Saturday to find the only road out washed away after heavy rain pulverised Golden Bay on Friday.

Derks says it is likely to take crews some time to fix the damage.

Civil Defence are advising people to double check appliances to make sure they haven’t been left on when power is restored and to be wary of low or damaged power lines and treat them as live at all times.

Road conditions and closures

NZ Transport Authority Waka Kotahi have advised some state highway routes have reopened in the region on Saturday but a number remain closed.

State highway closures across the top of the south.

In an update at 3.20pm, the agency said State Highway 63 is now open, with restrictions, between Renwick and Kawatiri Junction.

The previously closed Kawatiri to Korere-Tophouse Road section reopened at around 3pm.

However, with weather and flood damage still affecting the highway, it is only open to residents and essential travel between Korere-Tophouse Road and Renwick.

Road users must drive to the conditions and be prepared for hazards when travelling the route.

Current state highway closures:

SH6 Belgrove to Murchison: closed due to slips and flooding (SH6 Brightwater to Belgrove has reopened).

This was the scene some Pigeon Valley residents woke up to on Saturday morning.

SH6 Rocks Rd, Bisley Ave to Richardson St: closed to all road users, pedestrians and cyclists due to debris falls. All traffic can detour via Waimea Rd.
SH60 Riwaka to Upper Tākaka: closed due to slips and flooding.

With no direct access to the West Coast from Nelson and Blenheim, people needing to travel to the West Coast will have to go via the east coast and State Highway 1.

However, weather damage can be expected on reopened sections and drivers are urged to avoid non-essential travel as work to restore and repair roads across the region continues.

For State Highway information, check the NZTA Journey Planner, and here for Nelson and Tasman local road closures.

If you need somewhere to stay

The following Civil Defence and community welfare centres remain open this morning for those who have evacuated or can't get home:

Until the waters recede, farmers won’t know the true extent of the damage to their land. Pictured above is a flooded paddock in Riwaka, Tasman.

Ngātīmoti School: 4 Greenhill Rd, in Motueka
Tapawera Community Centre: 95 Main Rd, in Tapawera

Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated for Tasman/Nelson severe weather displaced residents.

Get ready for the cleanup

TDC has given advice on how residents can safely clean up flood-damaged properties:

An orchard in Appleby, Tasman is covered in inches of water, with fenceposts snapped like matchsticks due to the force of the water.

Household flood waste

Flood-damaged household items can be taken to local Resource Recovery Centres at no charge. A form must be filled out before disposal – and can be done online in advance. Only material transported by car, ute, or small trailer will be accepted. Don’t leave waste on the roadside.

Rural and farm cleanup

Farmers needing help can contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254. More info on large-scale rural waste disposal is expected next week.

Silt management

Do not dump silt until council establishes proper disposal sites. Some silt contains invasive Asiatic Knotweed, so dumping risks further spread. Leave it in place if safe, and report any you’ve already moved.

Fence post disposal

Please separate wire from fenceposts before disposal. This helps reduce costs and increases chances of reuse.

Beware contaminated water

Health NZ - Nelson Marlborough warned residents to take extra precautions when cleaning up after floods, as contaminated floodwaters could cause serious illness.

Avoid any unnecessary or recreational contact with flooded waterways, which may contain sewage, bacteria, and other harmful germs.

Wash your hands with soap and warm water (and dry them thoroughly) after touching floodwater or anything it’s touched.
Always wash hands before preparing food or eating.
Throw away all food or drink that has come into contact with floodwater — even sealed containers.
Disinfect all surfaces, kitchen utensils and equipment exposed to floodwater.
Avoid eating produce from gardens that were flooded.
Do not collect or eat shellfish from river mouths or harbours after a flood.

When cleaning up, wear gloves, protective clothing, sturdy footwear, and a properly fitted mask such as a P2/N95 or surgical mask. Cover any cuts or wounds to avoid infection.