Northland farmers are fed up and shop owners are mopping up after a day of wild weather caused major flooding.

The region’s third downpour in two weeks made for treacherous conditions on the roads, tough
conditions for farmers and flooded businesses in Kāeo.

Federated Farmers Northland president Colin Hannah said some farmers were considering selling stock due to the weather conditions.

“If this continues for another two weeks they’re going to be selling animals when normally at this time of year, they’re buying animals.”

Getting machinery or animals on to the sodden paddocks has been difficult, Hannah said.

“I’ve only had four days on my calendar where I haven’t had rain. But I can’t believe how much grass we’re growing for this time of year. If it wasn’t for the rain, we’d be sitting very sweet.

“Farmers will get through this, I’m sure. We’re a resilient lot.”

He urged any farmers who were really struggling to seek help through the Rural Support Trust.

Parts of Kāeo were flooded after the river broke its banks on Monday morning, and SH10 near the Kāeo River was down to one lane on Tuesday morning.

A church, BP petrol station and the Old Saddlery Cafe in Kāeo were flooded on Monday.

The Old Saddlery Cafe was forced to close on Tuesday for clean up after floodwaters entered the back of the premises on Monday.

Cafe worker Joezanna said concrete and tiles made clean-up easier, but she would still spend the day mopping up and hosing mud off the concrete.

“We’re pretty much okay. I think the BP and the other side get it worse than what we get it … When we hear that weather is coming we just lift everything up on to the tables.”

Water usually came down from the hill behind the cafe, rather than across the road from the river when the cafe flooded, she said.

The BP station was forced to close on Monday due to flooding, but was reopened on Tuesday, a staff member said.

The Advocate understands flooding reported on Omaunu Rd also closed Whangaroa Health Services on Monday.

There was surface flooding on roads throughout Northland, as well as fallen trees and slips.

Three local roads remained closed at midday yesterday in the Far North District. Waiaua Rd was expected to be closed for two days while a slip was cleared.

All roads in the Whangārei District had reopened by yesterday afternoon, although some were down to one lane only as slips and fallen trees were cleared.

MetService meteorologist Karl Loots said 207mm of rain fell in Kerikeri over the 60 hours to 1pm Tuesday, and 552mm so far this month.

“The average is 188mm, so that’s coming up on three times the average July rainfall…This is the second-wettest July ever on our records for Kerikeri.”

The record, set in July 1998, was 609mm for the month, Loots said.

Despite the flooding in Kāeo, he said they had not had nearly as much rainfall as Kerikeri during this particular event.

“Obviously things are very saturated. When you get heavy rain over prolonged periods like this it tends to make things even worse because of the ground being saturated,” Loots added.

Northland Regional Council rainfall data showed one Kāeo weather station recorded 192.5mm over the last week, and the Kerikeri station at the Bay of Islands Golf Club received 244mm.

Kerikeri fire chief Les Wasson said despite the large amount of rain, there were just a handful of callouts for weather-related incidents.

“We got off pretty lightly, considering the weather events,” he said.

The brigade was called out for one downed tree and a few flooded backyards, Wasson said.

More than 2500 Top Energy customers were without power in the Far North on Monday due to weather-related issues, but fewer than 50 were without power by yesterday afternoon.