THE Eastern Bay got a battering yesterday as a MetService heavy rain warning came to fruition, with roads closed, rivers raised and rainfall of more than 150 millimetres in some areas.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council rainwater data shows Tāneatua got the biggest drenching, receiving 153.5mm in the 24 hours to 4pm yesterday.

Kawerau reached between 99.5mm and 116mm, while Whakatāne received between 96.5mm-123.5mm in areas, Edgecumbe sat at 58mm and Ōpōtiki at 72mm in the same timeframe.

Many of the region’s rivers rose, with most above median level and many significantly above it.

Peace Street in Whakatāne was closed intermittently across the day as surface flooding failed to disperse.

Whakatane District Council general manager infrastructure Bevan Gray said operational staff were on site yesterday afternoon to investigate why the water was not dispersing as quickly as expected.

It was suspected an issue with a flood gate at the McAlister Street pump station may have been the cause, rather than the recent stormwater enhancement works.

“The new stormwater system in Peace Street is designed to direct water to the lowest point on the road, away from properties.

“This allows water to ‘flood’ safely without damaging infrastructure or private property. During heavy rain, this system might cause temporary road closures to manage water flow.

“The system relies on multiple components working together, and if flood gates or pumps fail, the system won’t function as intended.”

Work by Waka Kotahi on Pekatahi bridge was temporarily paused to allow traffic to use it while Tāneatua Road was under manual stop/go management due to surface flooding.

The council was also working to address flooding in the Apanui Avenue, McGarvey and Brabant Street areas yesterday afternoon, while trees were reported to be down on Manawahe Road and Ngamotu Road.