Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast Gary Towler: Coromandel-Thames Civil Defence controller talks clean-up in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle
The sun might be out but the job isn’t done in the Coromandel, according to Coromandel-Thames Civil Defence controller Gary Towler.
The region has experienced massive slips and land instability, compromising its entire roading network.
”Every time our land guys clear a slip, another one comes down right behind them,” Towler told Kerre Woodham Mornings on Newstalk ZB today.
A number of houses in the Coromandel have already been red-stickered, Towler confirmed, as staff worked their way through affected areas to check the condition of housing.
The other focus is power, which most of the area is still without.
Powerco said it had 7462 customers without power in the Coromandel as of 8am today.
”We have the luxury of the New Zealand Defence Force, which we’re deploying on to the east coast today to do a lot of review work and drone work to get a good picture of what carnage was created,” Towler said.
Meanwhile, critical assets such as generators and wastewater plants in the Coromandel are running out of diesel, which helicopters are bringing in for stock-ups as they can’t be accessed by road.
If people are wanting to visit their homes and baches, Towler has told residents to “take a breath” and check the NZTA website and affiliated social media pages for information on road conditions.
”People need to have a go-bag and Plan B in case a slip blocks their path. That will be the case for the next five or six days,” he said.
”But people should check their properties as quickly as possible so we know if we’re dealing with any other stretches.
Coromandel road information
STATE HIGHWAYS
SH25 Thames to Coromandel Town is CLOSED.
SH25 Coromandel Town to Te Rerenga: Essential travel only. Drive with extra care.
SH25 Te Rerenga to Kūaotunu is CLOSED.
SH25 Kūaotunu to Whitianga: Essential travel only. Drive with extra care.
SH25 Whitianga to Tairua.
SH25 Hikuai to Onemana is CLOSED.
SH25 Whangamatā to Waihī: Essential travel only. Drive with extra care.
SH2 Paeroa to Waihī (Karangahake Gorge) is CLOSED.
SH26 between SH2 and Paeroa-Tauhuna Rd is CLOSED.
SH25A Kopu to Hikuai is CLOSED.
Waikawau Beach Rd is CLOSED due to tree fall.
Purangi Rd is OPEN to one lane.
Hikuai Settlement Rd is OPEN.
Sailors Grave Rd is OPEN to one lane.
Pumpkin Hill Rd is OPEN to one lane.
Koputauaki Bridge, Colville Road – No further monitoring required.
ONGOING CLOSURES
Coromandel/Colville:
Colville Rd is CLOSED in several places due to overslips and dropouts. Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Coromandel to Oamaru Bay CLOSED.
Oamaru Bay to Amodeo Bay CLOSED.
Amodeo Bay to Colville CLOSED.
Colville to Port Jackson Road CLOSED.
Te Kouma Road is CLOSED due to a large tree/slip blocking the road. Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Port Jackson Rd is CLOSED due to multiple very large slips and dropouts. Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Port Charles Rd is CLOSED due to an overslip 10.7km from the start of the road. Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Puriri Rd is CLOSED due to a treefall and large slip Road will have to remain closed overnight.
309 Road is OPEN.
Mercury Bay:
Hot Water Beach Rd is CLOSED Between SH 25 and Parangi Road due to flooding. Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Matarangi Rd is CLOSED due to a large slip. A crew will establish today. Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Whangapoua Rd is CLOSED due to a slip.
Tairua-Pāuanui:
Puketui Valley Rd is CLOSED due to a slip Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Whangamatā:
Wentworth Valley Rd is CLOSED due to flooding.
Thames:
Tapu Coroglen Rd is CLOSED and impassable for the foreseeable future. Location is 10km from Tapu. Additional slips have been cleared for resident access.
Kauaeranga Valley Rd is CLOSED due to flooding and large slips Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Victoria St, Thames is CLOSED due to flooding and a large slip Road will have to remain closed overnight.
Other:
Blackjack Road is closed to all traffic except those requiring residential access.
An area of road subject to previous damage has suffered significant movement overnight, and while passable with care, should not be used unless access is needed.
Council geotechnical staff will inspect the area as soon as possible.
Hauraki state of emergency
Meanwhile, Hauraki District Council has issued an update on Cyclone Gabrielle. Residents are being asked to conserve water.
“Due to river conditions with high levels of dirt and debris, we are struggling to produce as much water as we would like in Paeroa and Waihi. Please conserve water. If you noticed a drop in pressure around Waitakaruru, the Water Treatment Plant is now back up and running.”
The council says it is continuing to support the clean-up effort around the district and evaluating damage.
It is compiling a list of affected properties and completing a welfare needs assessment. “Please call our team on 07 862 8609 or 0800 734 834. Our team will then pass the information onto our Civil Defence Welfare team.”
Building inspectors will be out checking damaged properties today. They will have their council identification with them. “They are there to help, so please let them into your properties to do this important work.”
“Please call us if your house has been inundated with flood waters and our team will create a service request so our teams know to visit.”
Local roads:
Road between Whiritoa and Waihi – OPEN drive with extreme caution
Ford Road, Waihi – CLOSED due to flooding
Baxter Road, Waihi – CLOSED due to flooding
Komata Reef Road, Komata – CLOSED due to multiple slips
Bradshaw Road Bridge, Komata – WATCH FOR surface flooding
Franklin Road, Waitawheta - CLOSED under slip
Maratoto Road Bridge – Assessment ongoing - tree down blocking upstream
East Coast Rd north and south OPEN but surface flooding
Miranda/Findlay Rd – OPEN
Kaiaua Rd – OPEN with flooding in patches
State Highways
SH2 Karangahake Gorge CLOSED - Paeroa to Waihi
SH26 Criterion Bridge OPEN
SH25 Between Whiritoa and Whangamata OPEN
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