Homes Near Tauweru River on Gladstone Road Affected by Emergency Operations

Five homes have been evacuated in Gladstone near Carterton due to rising river levels.

The homes, on Gladstone Road, were not far from the Tauweru River, an emergency operations spokesperson said.

Carterton mayor Steve Cretney said police and Fire and Emergency decided to evacuate the homes as a precaution.

He said ongoing rain during the day had caused the Tauweru River to rise, which feeds into the Ruamāhanga River.

The Ruamāhanga River had “steadily been rising throughout the day”.

Cretney said with the rain set to ease, and river levels predicted to fall slowly throughout the night, he did not expect more evacuations.

“The rain has eased from what it was, so the river levels will peak, and they will slowly recede overnight.”

Evacuated residents were staying with friends and family, Cretney said.

“Police and FENZ [Fire and Emergency] decided it was in [the residents’] best interests to evacuate … I do understand a couple residents living out there did not want to leave their homes, but they were encouraged by Police and FENZ to leave, just as a precautionary.”

It came as the state of emergency lifted for other parts of the Wellington region. It was now ended in Upper Hutt, Porirua City and the Kāpiti Coast, but was still in place for all other parts of the Wellington region, including all of Wairarapa.

According to Wellington Region Emergency Management, it would remain in place while damage, needs, building safety, and recovery assessments continued.

Meanwhile, a campground in the Tararua district was preparing to possibly self-evacuate, with the council saying Wainui River levels were “very high.”

The district was still under a heavy rain warning until midnight.