Auckland floods: Tamaki Drive closed for days as AT workers clear multiple slips

Author: Akula Sharma,
Publish Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2023, 3:42PM

Tamaki Drive is unlikely to open to motorists for a couple of days after slips blocked the road this morning.

Auckland Transport said this morning it is going to take crews at least a couple of days to re-open the key route along the city’s eastern bays.

“Crews are still working there and will be aiming to get it re-opened in the next couple of days,” a spokesperson said.

It’s not yet clear when alternate Ngapipi Rd will be cleared after a tree toppled over the road.

This morning motorists on both sides of Tamaki Dr were being redirected to alternative routes as emergency services attended the site of a massive slip between Mission Bay and Mechanics Bay.

Tamaki Drive shut after a massive slip. Photo / Bike Tamaki Drive

A slip had also occurred between Okahu Bay and Mission Bay bringing down cliff-top trees.

Workers were attending the site of fallen trees which were blocking Ngapipi Rd.

Road workers were trying to clear blocked drains to reduce flooding on Tamaki Dr.

Slips and fallen trees on Ngapipi Rd, Orakei, after heavy rain hit Auckland, causing widespread flooding. Photo / Michael Craig

Local Iwi had been working to salvage the Okahu Bay cemetery after the heavy downpour filled it with water.

Auckland Councillor Josephine Bartley tweeted that several local roads had been closed and informed residents to not drive unless they had to.

Auckland Transport said since Friday there had been 82 road closures across the region, with access restored on the majority.

There are 34 roads which are currently closed.

A contractor tries to clear blocked drains on Tamaki Drive. Photo / Michael Craig

Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium was also closed following adverse weather today.

The popular Tamaki Dr tourist destination posted that due to the adverse weather Sea Life Kelly Tarltons would be closed today.

“We would like to take this time to again acknowledge our incredible and passionate team for the amazing work they are doing assisting with the flooding and, caring for all animals big and small (they are all safe and well).

“We apologise for any disappointment this causes and look forward to welcoming you another day soon.”

Trees and mud block the car park at Kelly Tarltons. Photo / Dean Purcell

Auckland’s Northern Motorway was closed by flooding in both directions between Esmond and Northcote roads for about 90 minutes today, before reopening just before 8am.

Other sections of the city’s motorways had also been severely impacted including the Southern Motorway at Greenlane and Ellerslie-Panmure, and the Southwestern Motorway (State Highway 20) southbound between Queenstown Rd and Neilson St. State Highways 1 and 16 further north of Auckland had been closed by slips and flooding.

Contractors try to prevent flooding of the cemetery at Okahu Bay. Photo / Dean Purcell

The travel chaos extended further: Train services on the city’s western line had been stopped because of a power cut and passengers are being redirected to buses. Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) is advising Aucklanders to avoid travelling “unless necessary”. AEM urged people to check the latest road closures if travel cannot be avoided.

Emergency services have been dealing with reports of trees that have fallen on homes in Mt Albert and Whitford; and flooding and landslips in Devonport, with some residents using buckets to furiously bail out water.

There have also been callouts to a range of other suburbs including Hillcrest, Mt Roskill, Onehunga, Belmont, Lynfield, One Tree Hill, Remuera and Greenlane. Motorists were once again stranded on streets with rising floodwaters forcing them to abandon their vehicles in Greenlane.

NIWA reported this morning that, in 24 hours, 71mm of rain had fallen at its Western Springs climate station in Auckland - " month’s worth of rain... again”. Much of the rain fell in only a few hours including 25.2mm in one hour, 44.2 mm in two hours and 58.6mm in three hours.