A swathe of Auckland’s West Coast beaches are shut to the public this weekend, with roads to popular seaside destinations compromised amid warnings that heavy rain could re-activate slips.
And residents in flood-ravaged Hawke’s Bay are being warned they should be prepared to evacuate, with torrential downpours likely to hit the region.
Access to Karekare, Piha, Te Henga-Bethells Beach, Muriwai, Anawhata, Huia, Little Huia and Whatipu had been compromised by Cyclone Gabrielle, said Auckland Transport chief engineer Murray Burt.
He asked the general public to stay away from these areas and limit any additional pressure on the communities by trying to visit them at this time.
/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/NRTXPJDUUFCGHE5KIDFBA32HFY.jpeg)
The Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving Patrol club, on the bank of the Waitakere River as Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread flooding in the region.
Burt said at the request of Piha community Piha Rd would be closed this weekend to everyone except residents and emergency services, from midday on Friday.
“A cordon will be set up. Repairs have started on Bethells Rd, we ask non-residents to stay away while the repairs are underway so we can minimise as much traffic on the road as possible.
“From today the main works at Bethells Beach have begun, which means only pedestrian access for residents will be permitted. This will be in place for seven days while we work to reopen full access to Bethells Beach Rd.”
Burt said work was also underway to rebuild a section of Glenvar Rd in the North Shore, however the extent of damage meant that would take some time, maybe months.
About 30 roads remain closed across the Auckland region due to the impact of the storm.
Burt said he visited the site of a slip at Elevation on Scenic Drive in Piha where he heard first-hand people’s struggle to access