11.30am

Waikato Regional Council is warning Coromandel residents that blocked waterways and drains may aggravate any potential flooding as forecast heavy rain kicks in again from this afternoon through till tomorrow morning.

“Many waterways and drains have debris in them as a result of the flooding that’s already occurred,” said acting regional hazards team leader Dave Lovatt.

“The floodwaters will have also filled up waterway channels with more earth and gravel than usual.

“There’s no way all of these can be cleared in the near future and the channels may not be able to handle the volume of water expected in the 24 hours.

“So people need to be aware of the possibility these factors may aggravate surface flooding during any heavy rain between this afternoon and tomorrow morning.

“There’s also a greater risk of flooding around bridges and culverts that might normally not be so affected by heavy rain. So we urge people to take particular care around waterways and drains.”

Mr Lovatt said council staff on the Coromandel would work to address blockages and gravel and earth build ups as fast as they practically could.

Flood response rooms have been set up at the Whitianga and Paeroa offices, while regional hazards staff in Hamilton are monitoring weather projections and river levels closely to provide advice on potential trouble spots as the weekend progresses.