Homes Evacuated Near Carterton Due to Rising River Levels

Five homes on Gladstone Road near Carterton were evacuated on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, as a precaution due to rising levels in the Tauweru River, which feeds into the Ruamāhanga River.

The evacuations were carried out by police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand after ongoing rainfall caused the Tauweru River to rise steadily throughout the day. Carterton mayor Steve Cretney confirmed the action was taken to ensure resident safety, noting that while some residents were reluctant to leave, they were encouraged to evacuate as a precautionary measure.

Evacuated residents were staying with friends and family, according to Cretney. He added that with rain expected to ease and river levels predicted to fall slowly overnight, further evacuations were not anticipated.

The Ruamāhanga River had also been rising steadily, contributing to flooding concerns across the South Wairarapa district. Surface flooding had affected both Carterton and Masterton districts, with rising river levels leading to bridge closures in the area.

Though states of emergency had been lifted for Upper Hutt, Porirua City, and the Kāpiti Coast, the declaration remained in place for all other parts of the Wellington region, including all of Wairarapa. Wellington Region Emergency Management stated the emergency would continue while damage assessments, needs evaluations, building safety checks, and recovery efforts were underway.

In related developments, a campground in the Tararua district was preparing for a possible self-evacuation due to very high levels in the Wainui River. Herbertville Campground manager Chris Cawsey said he had stayed awake through the previous night in case evacuation became necessary for himself and the six people staying at the site.

The district remained under a heavy rain warning until midnight, with MetService maintaining alerts for Taihape, Whanganui, and Manawatū due to ongoing precipitation risks.

Power outages persisted across several regions, with more than 400 Powerco customers without electricity in Wairarapa, Taranaki, Manawatū-Whanganui, and Bay of Plenty due to storm-damaged equipment, including at least one outage in Wairarapa attributed to a lightning strike.

Road conditions remained hazardous, with some lower North Island roads impassable overnight due to flooding. While SH58 had reopened from Pauatahanui to Haywards, drivers were advised to exercise caution. A detour remained in place on SH53 between Featherston and Martinborough due to rising water at the Waihenga Bridge.

Fire and Emergency responded to approximately 180 weather-related callouts in the Wellington region the previous day, with additional incidents reported in the central region overnight.

MetService meteorologist Katie Lyon warned that despite easing rain, saturated ground meant even brief periods of heavier rainfall could trigger renewed flooding in areas not yet affected.