Road closures and evacuations in BoP
Torrential rain in the Bay of Plenty has eased after causing flooding that left Waihi Beach cut off by most roads and some residents evacuated.
The Fire Service was called to more than 60 homes and businesses from about 5pm on Saturday, after 26mm of rain fell in two hours.
Of those, 23 callouts were to Waihi Beach, north of Katikati, where firefighters pumped water out of buildings, Fire Service northern communications shift commander Scott Osmond said.
A number of people were also evacuated from their homes and from a holiday park in low-lying parts of the coastal town because of concerns about the flooded Waihi Stream Bridge.
As the rain eased, the Fire Service completed its jobs in the area about 1am on Sunday, Mr Osmond said.
Parts of Pyes Pa Road (State Highway 36) and State Highway 2, and Waihi Beach were closed on Saturday night, meaning the only access to Waihi Beach from the north was to turn off at Paeroa to Te Aroha, Matamata, Tauranga, and Katikati.
SH2 reopened early on Sunday morning.
The flooding came less than a day after more than 100 homes in Mount Maunganui were under water early on Saturday, while rain also hammered Tauranga, causing similar problems.
Police were urging people to stay home and keep off the roads during Saturday afternoon as there was "considerable" flooding in Mt Maunganui and Papamoa.
Parts of Auckland were also hit by torrential downpours which caused surface flooding.
Weatherwatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan said because the area is still a drought zone, the ground was not absorbing the rain, causing it to run off into waterways and leading to flash or rapid flooding.
The MetService is predicting the rain will continue in many parts of the country for the first part of the week, including around Tauranga.
Many farmers are welcoming the rain after the worst country-wide drought in decades.
However, Federated Farmers adverse events spokeswoman Katie Milne says most of the North Island still needs more.
Farmers were also worried colder weather and shortening days could stunt grass growth, she said.