Clean-up continues as deluge hits roads | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Wanganui was busy mopping up yesterday after Monday's torrential rain, which triggered slips, closed roads and flooded paddocks.

Contractors worked through Monday night and yesterday to deal with the worst of the damage, which was experienced throughout the lower North Island.

Wanganui received 48.2mm of rain between 4am and 4pm on Monday, a figure MetService spokesperson Rob Hamilton described as "a good chunk of rain".

"For a place like Wanganui to receive that amount of rain in a short space of time - that's quite significant."

The Whanganui River peaked at 8.8m at Pipiriki at 5.30am yesterday, significantly lower than the 10m predicted by Wanganui civil defence.

The peak passed through the river's lower reaches late yesterday afternoon without causing any damage, according to civil defence manager Max Benseman.

Mr Benseman said the river had spilt over into Kowhai Park and came close to entering the Aramoho-Wanganui Rowing Club sheds on Somme Pde.

He said while the river levels were high, the event was not considered a significant flood, although the river was reported to have breached in its upper reaches near Taumarunui.

But the rain was enough to cause headaches for motorists in the area.

The top of Roberts Ave in Aramoho was down to one lane after slips caused subsidence of the road.

Whangaehu Valley Rd is not expected to reopen until today after it was closed by slips. Kauarapaoara Rd has a number of slips on it and Wanganui District Council infrastructure manager Julian Reweti said it was unclear how long it would be closed.

Mr Reweti said contractors were expected to take up to a week to deal with four other slips and a number of stormwater and sewer blockages.

Heavy rain caused the Tutaenui Stream in Marton to flood, drenching both houses and farms.

Rangitikei District Council's roading manager, Ross Ianson, said water rose relatively quickly with localised flooding in both Marton and Bulls.

"The water receded in Marton by 5.30pm and during the night in Bulls," he said.

Mr Ianson said several roads in southern and central Rangitikei were down to one lane in places, and there was a slip on SH1 between Bulls and Hunterville.