Road slips, road closures and heavy rainfall
The lower North Island is being battered by heavy rain, with authorities telling people in Wellington to limit travel.
What you need to know:
- Some roads have flooded around the region, with NZTA Waka Kotahi saying SH2 near Petone had one northbound lane closed.
- Police said on social media flooding and slips had been reported on SH2, particularly between Petone and Silverstream. They are warning people to take care driving
- A train was hit by rockfall on the Kāpiti line and reversed away from it so commuters could get off at the Paekākāriki station.
- Hutt Valley High School closed due to burst water main
- Wellington Region Emergency Management Office is urging residents in the Greater Wellington region to work from home today if they can, due to heavy rain in the region.
Chair Anita Baker told RNZ she was expecting heavy rain in another hour. She said teams were meeting about whether to kick in emergency responses.
- Flooding and slips have been reported on a number of roads, including parts of State Highway 2, particularly between Petone and Silverstream. Police ask motorists to take care by reducing speed, using headlights and watching your visibility.
- Lower Hutt battered by heaviest rainfall in the region overnight
- Cars being removed from Hutt City carpark due to flooding.
- The Riverbank carpark in Lower Hutt is closed due to flooding, with contractors removing the cars currently parked there.
- At 7.48am SH2 is wet at Melling in Lower Hutt and traffic is backed up
Weather warnings:
- An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Tararua Range, Kāpiti Coast and north Wellington.
- heavy rain watch was also in place from 8am to 6pm for Horowhenua.
- Some roads have flooded around the region, with NZTA Waka Kotahi saying SH2 near Petone had one northbound lane closed.
- An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Tararua Range, Kāpiti Coast and north Wellington.
- A heavy rain watch was also in place from 8am to 6pm for Horowhenua.
Keep up to date with latest updates on the Stuff website.
Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?
Hi Neighbours
Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.
For some, online booking is very convenient, you can make an appointment anytime without needing to wait on the phone. Others still prefer calling the clinic and speaking to a real person, especially if they have specific questions about their visit.
Your feedback helps us understand what works best for our patients and how we can improve access to care.
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27.6% I prefer booking online whenever possible
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41.4% Online booking is helpful but not essential
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27.6% I prefer calling the clinic
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3.4% I didn’t know online booking was available
Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕
Wellington’s identity is built on its cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. We’ve seen the headlines about recent closures, and it’s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.
We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets ⚖️
We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?
Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.
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46% I avoid spending money on coffee
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39.6% I still indulge at my local cafe
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14.4% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
A reminder this hunting season
As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.
Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”
Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.
The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”
Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?
“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.
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