http://stuff.co.nz/nelsonmail/4070049a6007.html
Weather `bomb' wreaks havoc.
Nelson was cleaning up on
Wednesday after a weather "bomb" exploded over the city, causing flash
flooding that inundated roads and houses and overloaded the city's
sewerage system.
Nelson weather forecaster John Mathieson said 98mm of rain
fell at the Stoke weather station in the 24 hours to 8.50am Wednesday,
with up to 7mm to 10mm an hour recorded during the height of the storm.
Winds averaged 50kmh, with northeasterly gusts of up to 79kmh recorded at Monaco about 7am. Emergency
services and council workers were stretched as homeowners, businesses
and motorists jammed switchboards with calls for help. Nelson
City Council infrastructure divisional manager Fraser Galloway said
this morning the flooding was especially bad between Arapiki Rd and
Saxton Field. He said one of the major concerns was overloaded sewage pumps, which resulted in raw sewage entering the Waimea Estuary. "It's been frantic around here this morning. We have contractors and staff with sandbags trying to protect properties. "Nayland College has been closed and the sewage pump stations at Quarantine Rd, Parkers Rd and Songer St are overflowing."
Nelson Fire Service deputy chief fire officer Tim Bennion said
volunteer firefighters and additional staff were called in to help
clear a backlog of calls about flooded properties. Panorama Drive and Marsden Valley Rd had been worst hit. Arapiki
Rd resident Andre Slierendrecht said ankle-deep water poured through
his living room. It was the worst flooding he had heard of in the area
in about 20 years. Waterhouse St residents Linda Case and Brent
O'Connor's home suffered extensive damage after chest-deep water
flooded into their garage. A backyard swimming pool was barely visible
beneath the waters. Drainage covers above a culvert running
beneath Panorama Drive and throughout Stoke were lifted as the water
pressure built up. The pressure caused parts of the road surface in Panorama Drive to bulge and lift. A large slip blocked the entrance to a property near the top of the hill, almost covering a parked car. Cars were backed up all the way from the Stoke shops to Nelson city after 9am. Senior
Constable Phil Wylie of Nelson police said Whakatu Drive "looked like a
waterfall" this morning, with cars backed up in surface flooding. Students
at Nayland College were excited to be sent home at 10.30am after
flooding affected corridors and outdoor areas in the lower part of the
school. Deputy principal Margaret LeNedelec said about 500 "very brave" students made it to school before being sent home. She said a stream running along the school boundary, which was usually just a "trickle", had burst its banks. The
school's carpark was flooded, as was the shower block next to the
gymnasium. The roof of the performance art area had leaked, causing
carpets to become saturated. Tahuna Beach Holiday Park manager
Ann Cumpstone said staff and holidaymakers struggled to enter the
campground this morning, with the front entrance, carpark and shop
flooded. The storm also hit Golden Bay where lightning was
believed to be the cause of a major power cut last night which left 902
households without power for almost six hours. The area affected was
from Swamp Rd, Takaka to Collingwood township, Bainham, Puponga and the
west coast of Golden Bay. Network Tasman chief executive Wayne Mackey said power was lost between 5.35pm and 11.30pm due to a damaged insulator.
8:03:53 PM 
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