Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management has been activated to monitor rising river levels in the region, and to coordinate the response by Councils and other agencies.
The area of immediate concern is the Waitotara River, whose headwaters have been rising.
No evacuation of Waitotara township is currently considered necessary, based on both data and observations so far. But residents are urged to be prepared if the situation changes, and to keep survival items and getaway kits handy.
Some may wish to self-evacuate as a precaution, and go and stay with friends or whanau elsewhere.
If the situation changes overnight, those still in the township will be told to leave. “If there’s a knock on the door at 10’clock, it will be because the situation has become serious,” says the Civil Defence Controller, Shane Briggs.
Besides the Waitotara, all catchments in the eastern hillcountry and inland North Taranaki are being monitored. So far there have been isolated and relatively minor flooding events.
Rainfall is expected to continue until Wednesday evening.
Authorised by Shane Briggs, CDEM Controller