In an urgent release, Thames-Coromandel District Council said the Coromandel Peninsula was experiencing significant rainfall with more rain expected today, January 21. Rivers and creeks are rising rapidly, it said.
“We ask campground owners to proactively stay alert and manage any of their hazards.”
Whitianga has already been cut off by flooding after persistent heavy rain swept through the Coromandel overnight, leaving the town inaccessible by road, while rising surface water has also forced campers at Cooks Beach Resort to move to higher ground.
Overnight between January 20 and 21, heavy rain fell across the North Island, with parts of the Coromandel Peninsula recording around a month’s worth of rainfall in just 12 hours.
The downpour has led to widespread flooding, road closures, and hazardous driving conditions across the region.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency confirmed in a January 21 update that State Highway 25 was now closed in both directions due to flooding. The highway has been shut south of Whitianga near Wade Rd, and between Discovery Dr and Simpson’s Beach, effectively cutting off access to the town from both the north and south.
The closures mean Whitianga cannot be accessed via SH25, with motorists urged to avoid travel while conditions remain unsafe.
