Click the image above to view slideshowThe rain has stopped and surface flooding is subsiding following heavy downpours this morning.
A mini tornado also ripped through Papamoa, tearing tiles from roofs at about 10am.
Damage to a house on Sarah Place, Papamoa. Photos and Video (below) by Daniel Hines.
The tornado on the corner of Wairakei Avenue and Spinifex Street, Papamoa. Photo: Judy Entwisle.
Mount Maunganui and Papamoa fire crews were called to Wairakei Avenue where tiles lifted off roofs and tree debris was over the road.
Northern Fire Communications shift manager Paul Radden says they received a number of flooding related calls in the Papamoa area.
'We also had a couple of houses with tiles lifting. Firefighters assisted with securing roofs or attempting salvage on affected properties.
Tauranga City Council communications manager Frank Begley says while is has been a very wet start to the last Sunday of the year, the situaton seems to be clearing.
"Council's after hours call centre received about 20 calls today mostly about surface flooding in the Dixon Road, Papamoa area. There have also been reports of wind damage to houses in Papamoa and debris on roads.
"Our contractors and the emergency services are dealing with these issues. The latest forecast is for the weather to clear so we may be coming to the end of this particular event."
He says the lull is a good opportunity to check your gutters and your nearest stormwater grates are clear.
Motorists are being advised to drive with caution until all the surface flooding clears.
Flooding and slips have also caused police to issue a warning for the Coromandel area. Read more here.
Flooding on Dickson Road. People are being asked to drive with caution or stay off the roads where possible. Photo: Yvonne Spicer.
Some homes in Papamoa have had tiles blown off their roof. Photo: Daniel Hines.
Police have closed a section of Dickson Road due to flooding. Photo: Wayne Cockburn.
Firefighters are working to cover or fix roofs in the Papamoa area.
At the scene? Call 0800SUNLIVE or email photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz
8 comments
Car drivers
Posted on 29-12-2013 11:23 | By NZgirl
Need to put their lights on out there you can see them till they on you the rain is so bad
Quick work guys
Posted on 29-12-2013 13:05 | By Papamoaner
They were on to it pretty smartly, but it would be interesting to know if there was any warning it was coming. This was a midget. If a really big dangerous Tornado came marching across the bay, would there be time to warn the public if we had sirens?
geez papamoaner get over your sirens,
Posted on 29-12-2013 16:25 | By rotovend
sirens arent going to help, Cant hear them when shut inside.read the weather forecasts and build a bunker. As the weather gets warmer we will get more odd bits of weather. maybe a text or radio and tv notifications etc but for something this little its very hard to predict and the big ones will surprise the whole world and it wont matter
Exit Road
Posted on 29-12-2013 20:41 | By Papamoa first
Yet another example why one exit road for Papamoa East residents is inadequate. The TCC needs to give priority to the Te Okoroa Drive extension.
Smart suggestion Roto
Posted on 29-12-2013 22:16 | By Papamoaner
Your bunker will be just right for a tsunami at Papamoa. Go for it.
Sirens no solution for stupidity
Posted on 30-12-2013 10:38 | By Annalist
Reading some of the comments here begs the question, if one road is really so dangerous for Papamoa East residents, why would they be so stupid as to live there? And sorry Papamoaner, I've never heard of a tornado warning siren but perhaps you could lobby Council to install sirens to warn silly people about everything. A very rainy day siren warning, an extremely hot day siren warning, maybe a stupidity siren but that would have to be on all the time??
Oh dear, Annalist
Posted on 30-12-2013 16:13 | By Papamoaner
Annalist reckons we are all stupid. Maybe he/she should do some reading or basic homework first. In the same breath he says he has never heard of a tornado siren. Tornado sirens are the most common type of siren in America and in fact anywhere where there are tornadoes. They save thousands of lives by warning people to get into their basements. That's why practically every house there has a basement. As to people preaching to Papamoa residents about "why do you live there" - the answer should be obvious to anyone with a brain. Who can afford to just uproot a life's investment and get out so we can live where the arrogant judgment pedestal sitters all live, albeit some of them stupid because they make sweeping generalisations without first doing some basic research, or at least monitoring a bit of world news now and then.
Stop it humans
Posted on 30-12-2013 17:22 | By Blessed
Sirens wont help much in a tsunami let alone bad weather, u cant control nature and when it will strike the worst, u can only guess. We dont need tornado sirens we r not in the U.S.A tornado alley, If ur so worried about where u live... move. Oh Sorry ur not much safer or more in control anywhere else. Get to know ur escape routes and emergency points, dont rely on any1 else.
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