Update at 0945hrs

Waikato residents are being urged to stay on the alert till at least tomorrow morning as heavy rain continues to drench the wider region.

There’s also potential for high winds until mid this afternoon.

Waikato Regional Council’s hazards team leader Rick Liefting says the region has had a solid dump of rain over the past 24 hours.

There have been no major, widespread flooding problems, although there have been road closures and localised flooding issues in places. Also, river levels and predictions for where they will head aren’t causing major concerns at the moment.

Mr Liefting said the rain was currently easing off a bit but warned there was a potential sting in the tail due this afternoon and into the evening, mainly around the Coromandel Peninsula. By late tonight or early tomorrow it’s hoped the bad weather system will have moved to the east with better weather between then and Monday.

“The regional hazards team will keep the situation under close watch and provide updated advice as required.

“We certainly don’t seem to have had the more negative impacts experienced in other regions but we’re on high alert to identify and respond to any serious flooding issues that might or do emerge.”

Mr Liefting said the continuing poor conditions could make roads slippery, cause further slips and surface flooding, and a range of other problems.

“It’s important that people don’t get complacent as conditions ease given that potential for a real sting in the tail to hit us later today.

“There’s also potential for high rainfall to cause debris to travel down waterways, particularly on the Coromandel, and this could increase flooding impacts and hazards to people near rivers and streams, as well as further affecting roads.”