Wellington Cut Off Due To Flooding

Mother Nature is continuing to wreak havoc across the country this morning, following yesterday's 7.5 Kaikoura Earthquake. 

Torrential rain causing flooding has hit Wellington City this morning after State Highways 1 and 2 have been closed.

This Twitter user shows that SH2 heading North, is completely underwater:

My wife is stuck at work in #wellington due to #flooding.

This is why - the northbound lane of SH2 is a river! pic.twitter.com/cQJgVijVci

— Craig Godfrey (@headcountone) November 14, 2016

Here are the key points you need to know:

• State Highways 1 and 2 have been closed, leaving the Capital essentially cut off, as torrential rain brings flooding to a region already recovering from the 7.5 quake.

• Between 50-60mm of rain was forecast for Wellington this morning and gale-force winds in exposed parts of the capital.

• Evacuations have continued today of tourists out of Kaikoura as more than 860 aftershocks hit the region.

• The Chinese Government chartered a helicopter to get Chinese nationals out of Kaikoura.

• It will be a couple of days' work to get the inland road to Kaikoura oepn to one lane. The coastal road is "a more challenging prospect".

• In Wellington, people are being told to use commonsense when in the central city today.

• Some buildings are still being assessed and areas, particularly around Featherston St, are still cordoned off.

• Parliament will sit as usual at 2pm and PM John Key is likely to open the day's business with a statement on the impact of the earthquake and the government's plans to repair the widespread damage it caused.

• Rail passenger services are expected to return to normal in the Wellington region today following yesterday's large quakes.

• 600 people stayed at a marae in Kaikoura. HMNZS Canterbury is on its way from Auckland to also help evacuate 1100 stranded tourists. It is expected to start this job first light tomorrow.

• Kaikoura is severely damaged with problems around communications, roads, water and sewage. Last night the Marlborough District Council said there was three days' water left.

• Power is intermittent, fuel supplies are limited and Kaikoura's hospital is at capacity.

• There have been many landslides, and a number of dams have now formed.

• St John kept its National Crisis Coordination Centre operating overnight in Auckland. It says patients are being moved out of Kaikoura as needed.

Stay safe, everyone! 

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