Properties flooded, roads closed as Tasman hit with 700mm of rain

Tuesday, 2 June 2026

Properties were flooded and highways were closed across the top of the south after heavy rain again hit the region.

More than 700mm of rain fell in parts of Tasman district during the two-and-a-half day weather event from Saturday night until Tuesday morning. The highest totals were recorded at Paradise Peak in the ranges of Golden Bay with 739mm, followed by 673mm at Canaan Downs. Tākaka township had 189mm.

The Waimea/Wairoa River reached 10-20 year flood levels.

On Tuesday morning the rain eased and rivers across the region receded. The damage was not as severe or widespread as the rains last June and July, but some homeowners in Brightwater, Riwaka, Wakefield and Spring Grove face clean-ups.

The heavy rainfall overnight on Monday caused a breach in Nelson’s Paru Paru Rd sewerage main resulting in untreated wastewater flowing into Saltwater Creek, the mouth of the Maitai River and Nelson Haven.

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said peak flows overwhelmed the Paru Paru Rd wastewater system resulting in a burst pipe and flows of between 100 and 200 litres per second of diluted, untreated wastewater being released into the creek, river and Haven.

Council staff and contractors were working at pace to repair the breach, Smith said, and the council expected to have it fixed within 48 hours.

Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell, who came to the region as a precautionary measure due to the severe weather warning, had been briefed on the wastewater overflow and visited the site.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Nelson City Council announced that mana whenua had placed a rahui over the Maitai River and surrounding estuary as a precaution due to the potential risk of water contamination. It asked people to avoid contact with the water, including swimming, fishing, and gathering food, until the rāhui was lifted.

Nelson Tasman Civil Defence group public information manager Paul Shattock said one property was evacuated in Brightwater during the event.

In a 10.45am update on Tuesday, the New Zealand Transport Agency said flooding had receded at State Highway 60 Cook’s Corner/Riuwaka River Bridge and the road had reopened after being closed early on Tuesday morning.

State Highway 60 between Park Avenue and Central Tākaka Road had reopened after a fallen tree brought down powerlines. This section of the highway was under stop/go traffic management, and travel delays could be expected.

State Highway 60 remained closed between Tākaka and Collingwood, but was later reopened.

State Highway 6 was open under a convoy system between Pelorus and Canvastown and was expected to be open to all traffic under a 50 km/h temporary speed limit from around midday.

Network Tasman operations manager Robert Derks said there was one weather related fault on Monday night, when a big pine tree came down across lines in Upper Tākaka, causing around 60 people to lose power at around 2am.

Power was expected to be restored by midday.

Flooding and power outages disrupted parts of Golden Bay on Tuesday morning, with schools delaying opening, roads affected and community facilities and businesses forced to close.

The Rec Park Centre in Tākaka was closed due to a power outage, according to a post on its Facebook page.

Some businesses in Tākaka, including the Golden Bay pharmacy, were planning to open later in the day.

Mohua schools and early childhood centres announced a delayed start, with Central Tākaka School, Tākaka Primary School, Motupipi School, Golden Bay High School and Golden Bay Kindergarten planning to open at 11am, pending a further update.

Golden Kids Early Learning Centre remained open for children of essential workers only.

Collingwood Area School remained open as normal and its bus services continued to operate.

Golden Bay Federated Farmers provincial president Sue Brown said flooding in the Aorere Valley appeared to be an annual flood event and water levels around Tākaka were continuing to recede.

Brown said the Anatoki River appeared to have reached the highest levels so far.

Kotinga farmer Wayne Langford said a section of Long Plain Rd, about 500 metres from the Kotinga Bridge, had washed out overnight.

Langford said his farm had also suffered some damage.

“It was pretty well behaved for the first 400mm and when the last 100mm came, that’s when we got hit,” he said.

Tākaka farmer Cherrie Chubb said there were isolated access issues on Hamama Rd, where sinkholes had been unable to cope with the volume of rain.

“The amount of rain exceeded the capacity of the sinkholes to drain away,” she said.

A section of road had been affected, although Chubb said it was a recurring problem.

“It has happened before and it will happen again.”

She said her farm had escaped major damage, although she had not yet been able to check parts of the property near Paines Ford because floodwaters had cut off access.

“We’re expecting a bit of damage, but we can’t go down and check because we’re landlocked,' she said.

“But we’ve got all the animals safe.”

Tasman mayor Tim King said he had not heard of any major damage, but suspected there would be minor damage on properties, as well as surface flooding and debris on roads.

King described the rain as “very steady for an extended period”.