UPDATE: Thursday 16 February 2.30pm

All weather warnings have been lifted, and there is no local state of emergency in the Wairarapa. However, there is still a lot of damage and some caution that must be taken because of flooding.

What you need to know

• The Waihenga Bridge is open but please keep an eye on the Waka Kotahi website in case river levels close it again.
• Please do not travel unless essential. There is still the risk of slips and fallen trees and roading crews are working as hard as they can to restore access to some eastern South Wairarapa communities.
• Streams and rivers may still be swollen

For the latest updates, go to www.metservice.com/warnings/home

How you can be prepared for an emergency

Before

• Create a plan in case access to your house is cut off, or you need to evacuate due to flooding or landslides. Share and practice that plan with your family.
• Make sure you have food, drink and medical supplies stocked up
• Ensure you have a grab bag ready. Include key items like medication and warm clothing
• Have a plan for your pets and/or livestock
• Ensure drains and gutters are kept clear to help water drain away as quickly as possible
• Be prepared for power outages
• Secure any outdoor items like wheelie bins, trampolines and outdoors furniture that may blow around
• Know where your Community Hubs are

Get home ready with WREMO resources at www.wremo.nz/get-ready/home-ready/

During

• Avoid unnecessary travel. If you must travel take extra care on the roads especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles. Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving.
• Avoid beaches and coastal areas
• Take shelter indoors
• Avoid streams and waterways
• Stay out of flood water
• If you feel unsafe, self-evacuate. Don’t wait for an official warning.
• Check on your neighbours

Community Hubs

Featherston
ANZAC Hall
Address: 58 Bell Street, Featherston

Greytown
Location: Greytown Town Centre
Address: 89 Main Street, Greytown

Martinborough
Location: Martinborough Ambulance Station
Address: 9 Texas Street, Martinborough

Roads

Remutaka Hill Road
Strong winds may cause the Remutaka Hill road to close. Check Waka Kotahi for updates: www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/regions/9

Waihenga Bridge
The Waihenga Bridge is generally closed by Waka Kotahi when the Ruamahanga River level at Waihenga reaches a stage of 4.5metres. You can check the river level at https://bit.ly/river-level and updates on State Highway road closures at www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/regions/9.

Alternative routes in and out of Martinborough are via Ponatahi and Kahutara. See an alternate route map at www.swdc.govt.nz/alternative-routes-around-the-district/

Local Roads
If local roads are affected and we have to close them, we’ll update our Road Alerts page at www.swdc.govt.nz/road-alerts

Sandbags

Sandbags are available to Featherston residents from ANZAC Hall, coordinated by the Community Board.

Greytown and Martinborough residents currently need to improvise if they are at risk of flooding as there currently aren’t any sandbags available in those towns. Filled bags of other material you may have around the house are a reasonable stop-gap

Where to get information

MetService
See www.metservice.com/warnings/home for the latest weather updates.

Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WREMOnz
Twitter: www.twitter.com/WREMOinfo
Website: www.wremo.nz

South Wairarapa District Council
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SouthWairarapaDistrictCouncil
Latest news: www.swdc.govt.nz/category/news

Who to call for help

Surface flooding on roads, slips, drinking water and wastewater issues (including after hours):
Council: 06 306 9611 or www.swdc.govt.nz/contact-us/get-it-sorted

Electricity: 0800 27 27 27

River and Stream Hazards: 0800 496 734

Fire or immediate threat to life call 111

If there are any Welfare issues relating to need for accommodation or food or other needs, as a result of the severe weather please call 0800 CD WAIRARAPA (0800 239 247).

Civil Defence Payments

If you and your family are affected by an emergency event, you may be able to get a Civil Defence Payment from Work and Income. Find out more on the Work and Income website.

What does Council do in an emergency?

Our internal Incident Management Team may be stood up to monitor the situation and coordinate our response. The team co-ordinates efforts between the three councils to provide relevant, timely communication to our communities. If a national emergency is called then we will stand up as part of our regional emergency office reporting through WREMO to NEMA.

Our roading team is on call to respond to any potential slips, surface flooding and road closures. Culverts and flood-prone areas are cleared where practicable.

Wellington Water is on standby with staff available to manage flooding as a result of stormwater or wastewater overflows. They are aware that these types of events tend to overwhelm the systems and generate a large volume of customer calls. They triage and prioritise their responses in line with where the impact occurs. Note that there are often challenges due to the conditions (slips, high winds, swells etc) and their teams will put their safety first.