Severe Flooding Batters Western Bay of Plenty in January Storm

Heavy rain falling overnight on 21–22 January caused widespread flooding and damage across the Western Bay of Plenty district. Katikati received 304mm of rainfall in just 24 hours, while Mount Maunganui recorded 216mm — a stark contrast to the combined January 2025 totals of 95mm and 36.5mm respectively. Waihī Beach recorded an extraordinary 340mm on 21 January alone.

The severe weather brought landslides that killed two people on Welcome Bay Road and, police believe, six more at a Mount Maunganui campsite. Dozens of residents were forced to evacuate their homes as highways and local roads were cut off. In the WBOP district, six properties were red-stickered and twelve received yellow placards following slip or flood damage, according to Western Bay of Plenty District Emergency Control Centre controller Scott Parker. Red placards indicated buildings were unsafe to enter, while yellow indicated restricted access due to moderate damage or risk.

Around 80 people self-evacuated to community-led hubs in Waihī Beach and Te Puke, with the Waihī Beach RSA supporting 73 campground evacuees and the Settler's Lounge in Te Puke's War Memorial Hall housing others. WBOP District Mayor James Denyer said 49 people remained in hubs overnight on Thursday 22 January, while 31 evacuees were billeted with local whānau. He extended his deepest sympathy to those who lost loved ones in rural Pāpāmoa and Mount Maunganui, saying communities across the rohe were hurting.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).