Wellington is under a regional state of emergency, with widespread closures and emergency support in place as heavy rain continues to impact the city.
Wellington City Council confirmed all public facilities will remain closed through Tuesday, April 21. This includes libraries, parks, cemeteries, community centres, swimming pools and the Ākau Tāngi Sports Centre, following a red heavy rain warning across the region.
Major attractions and venues are also shut. Zealandia, Wellington Museum, Space Place and Capital E are closed, along with civic performance venues including St James Theatre, Wellington Opera House and the TSB Arena. Wellington Zoo is expected to close, with confirmation due Tuesday morning.
The city’s Emergency Operations Centre has been activated and will remain staffed throughout the state of emergency. Wellington City Emergency Controller Vaughan Condron said while the number of affected properties is relatively small, some homes have suffered severe damage.
“Incidences of serious damage to houses, vehicles and other property have occurred, particularly in suburbs like Happy Valley, Brooklyn, Berhampore and South Karori,” Condron said.
Assessments are ongoing, with decisions on whether buildings will be declared dangerous made on a case-by-case basis.
Council teams, alongside emergency services including Fire and Emergency New Zealand, are assisting residents impacted by flooding and slips. In South Karori, crews are working to support families cut off by a slip blocking road access.
Evacuated residents can seek accommodation at Wellington City Mission’s Whakamaru facility in Mt Cook.
The Southern Landfill remains open for storm debris, though residents are urged to delay non-essential trips. Kerbside rubbish and recycling collections will proceed where scheduled, but households are asked to only put bins out if necessary.
Drivers and pedestrians are being warned to take extreme care. Multiple slips have been reported across suburban roads, and there is a risk of manhole covers lifting under pressure from overloaded stormwater systems.
Officials are urging people to avoid driving or walking through floodwaters as rain continues.
