Ohinemuri River in flood

Severe rains have caused the Ohinemuri River in the Karangahake Gorge to flood. Photos: Tracy Hardy.

Footage has appeared online of the Ohinemuri River which runs through the Karangahake Gorge in flood following the latest heavy rains.

Coromandel MP Scott Simpson posted the video to Facebook this afternoon, accompanied with what could be perceived as a dig at Environment Minister Dr nick Smith.

'Ohinemuri River running high through the Karangahake Gorge. Zero swimability rating today,” reads the post.

'Take care Coromandel.”

The latest weather bomb has wreaked havoc in the Karangahake Gorge, with hundreds of Sundaise festival goers forced to evacuate after severe rain caused the Waitawheta River to overflow and flood the Dickeys Flat site. The rains have also caused slips along State Highway 2 in the gorge.

While the New Zealand Fire Service's Northern Region, which covers the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty, have responded to 353 emergency 111 calls from midday on Friday up until midday on Saturday.

This included fire crews responding to flooded houses in Hairini, Omokoroa and Parkvale.

A severe weather warning and a severe thunderstorm watch remain in place in the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.

A slow-moving trough over northern New Zealand should move away to the east today, with associated heavy rains easing in the Coromandel by midday and later this afternoon in the Bay.

But another trough is expected to cross central New Zealand during Sunday morning, while a low is expected to move southeast across the North Island, bringing a further bout of heavy rain with the heaviest falls likely in the Eastern Bay where up to 70mm may accumulate on Sunday afternoon.

Do you have any photos or video of the wild weather? Email them to newsroom@thesun.co.nz

A slip on State Highway 2 in the Karangahake Gorge.

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