Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) activated in both Nelson and Tasman

Floods, slips and road closures expected in Nelson and Tasman

The developing weather situation in Nelson and Tasman has prompted the activation of the region’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), to be set up in a monitoring mode, late today Tuesday 16 August.

The Buller Region has been issued a red heavy rain warning and have activated their Emergency Operations Centre earlier in the day. 

The Emergency Operations Centre is fully operational, while a state of emergency has been declared for the whole of the West Coast region. 

This area is expecting periods of heavy rain up to 550 mm of rain to accumulate about the ranges south of Little Wanganui, and up to 280 mm elsewhere. Dangerous river conditions are expected with significant flooding with slips and floodwaters which are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable.

The Tasman and Nelson areas have a heavy rain warning orange for west of Motueka and there is the same for Richmond and Bryant ranges, Rai Valley, Nelson Region and the Marlborough Sounds.

There is a heavy rain watch yellow for the Tasman District east of Motueka excluding Richmond and Bryant ranges, Rai Valley, Nelson Region and the Marlborough Sounds and the same for Marlborough northwest of the Inland Kaikoura Range and south of the Richmond Range.

There is quite a complex area of warnings and watches. If in any doubt check with MetService and see their maps of areas with warnings and watches.

Finally there is a strong wind watch yellow from 8am Wed, 17 Aug to 6am Thu, 18 Aug. The areas effected are Nelson, Tasman and Buller with Northeast winds which may approach severe gale at times.

Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly with surface flooding and slips also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous. 

In Tasman there is an expectation that rain in large amounts will accumulate about the ranges in the west. Some models indicate 650 to 750 mm about the ranges during a period from 9am Tue - 6pm Thu, 18 August. To a lesser extent rainfall will accumulate in the rangers to the east and in Nelson itself.

Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council have commented on the upcoming storm

Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council have commented on Social Media and Antenno about the upcoming storm from today Tuesday

A Northerly flow is drifting down onto Nelson, Tasman and the West Coast

Tasman District Council:

"A significant rain event is expected to hit from the early hours of Tuesday morning through to Thursday evening. 

Current forecasts are for large rainfall totals and for some rivers to reach beyond 5 to 10 year flood levels. With the expected rise in groundwater levels, particularly on the Waimea Plains and in Golden Bay, surface flooding will impact on some roads and stormwater and potentially sewer capacity. 

Landslips are also likely to occur. If there are heavy rainfall bursts of 20-30mm per hour on a regular basis the event may escalate to  major road closures. 

If people are planning to travel over the three days from Tuesday afternoon it may be wise to make contingencies or delay the travel until there is a better picture of what is actually happening. 

Drivers, please think about your actions and don’t drive at speeds that cause waves to wash onto neighboring properties. 

Inspect the gutters and stormwater grates around your property. Sweeping the leaves away could make all the difference to the effectiveness of the stormwater system.

Major utilities, as well as all emergency services, are as prepared as possible to deal with the outcome of the heavy rain including roading teams on standby and major work in rivers being put on hold. 

At present Civil Defence is in a monitoring mode as the full effect of the event may not be felt until Wednesday evening, although now is the time to prepare. 

If you know your property is prone to flooding, please consider keeping your own stock of sandbags on hand.  

Council does not provide sandbags to private properties. However, supplies to make sandbags are readily available at DIY and landscaping suppliers. 

If you are in danger or your property is under immediate threat, please contact emergency services on 111. 

Updates will be provided via Nelson Tasman Civil Defence and Emergency Management either through the Facebook page or online at nelsontasmancivildefence.co.nz as information becomes available.

You may want to consider filling and placing sandbags. For more information about sandbags, check out our website: https://bit.ly/3Pp3Mzy."

TDC

Tasman Rural need to consider rising rivers and moving stock to higher ground.

Nelson City Council has advised: 

"Doing your part to look after your household or business stormwater system ensures our network has the best chance to cope with the expected heavy rain and minimise stormwater overflows and surface flooding.

Severe weather is on its way for the Nelson region. Flooding is expected. If you live near water or in a low-lying area, you may want to consider obtaining sandbags or creating waterproof barriers.  

Slips and river, tidal and/or surface flooding is possible in areas. 

Please make sure you're prepared:

- Drive to the conditions, or avoid driving, if possible. 

- Secure outdoor furniture. 

-Check drains and gutters are clear of debris

-Consider filling and placing sandbags. Properties located near water or in low-lying areas should prepare for flooding. 

Sandbags take time to fill and place and are best to sort before weather strikes.

Visit our website for more information on sandbags

Council staff are currently preparing for the situation. 

Heavy rainfall this winter has left many of our reserves very wet, and the coming bout of rain will likely cause slips and fallen trees. 

Please take care and postpone any walks or rides until the ground has dried, both for your safety and to keep tracks in as good of a condition as possible. Some tracks may be damaged or inaccessible.

We will provide further updates on the weather as they become available."

NCC

WINTER TANGO IN HANMER *12-14 AUGUST 2022*

WINTER TANGO IN HANMER 

Report from MetSercice - A Cold Week ahead and Jack Frost makes an appearance

Snow falling in Hanmer Springs today. Photo R Therkleson

MetService release period of Monday 08 - Thursday 11 August

 It’s been a snowy weekend for the South Island high country and while the snow is on the way out, MetService is forecasting chilly temperatures to follow - likely the coldest week this year for some.

An Orange Heavy Snow Warning remains in place for inland Canterbury and southern inland Marlborough into this afternoon (Monday), with snow affecting high level roads. Blustery southerlies funnelling through Cook Strait are affecting Wellington and coastal Marlborough, while gusty southeasterlies batter the West Coast. Strong Wind Watches are in place for these areas today, then the winds are forecast to ease.

Rain and cold southerlies make for a wintry day in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne tomorrow, while the rest of the North Island and east of the South Island have some showery weather in store. 

MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan adds, “There’s also the risk of another foggy start tomorrow in Auckland, though it’s looking less likely than it has been the past few days”.

“Most of Aotearoa can expect settled weather on Wednesday and Thursday aside from showers affecting the top of the country and a couple along the east coasts, though the real kicker is how cold it’s going to be,” Corrigan remarks.

Most places in the South Island are looking to remain in single digit temperatures until the weekend, and severe frosts are on the cards for inland and southern regions with temperatures plummeting to -5°C in Southland and inland Otago overnight tonight and tomorrow.

“Temperatures in Wanaka and Queenstown are likely to hang around or below freezing for most of the week ahead aside from some slight warming in the afternoons, which means it may be the coldest week of the year for these places,” says Corrigan. “Alexandra looks unlikely to come in colder than the seven days they experienced earlier this winter around the shortest day on the 22 June.”

The North Island gets a taste of the chills later this week with widespread frosts expected on Thursday and Friday nights, though daytime highs remain mostly above the 10°C mark.

MetService

Pigeon Post News

Wakefield Police Action - Ernest Rutherford Statue Recovered, man arrested

Lord Ernest Rutherford Childhood photo when he was about five-years-old. Photo supplied.

SWIFT ACTION BY WAKEFIELD POLICE SETTLES THE GRIEF FELT BY LOCAL COMMUNITIES AT THE THEIF OF LORD ERNEST RUTHERFORD CHILDHOOD STATUE

Some swift action by a local Wakefield officer has seen the Lord Ernest Rutherford statue recovered and a man held accountable for its theft.

Police have arrested and charged a 35-year-old man in relation to the theft of the statue in Brightwater on Friday.

He has been charged with theft and wilful damage and is due to appear in the Nelson District Court today.

Police recovered the statue today and it will be taken back to its rightful place at the memorial site.

The boyhood statue of Ernest Rutherford will be back where it belongs thanks to our local Police Officer Constable Jamie White. File Photo

Lord Ernest Rutherford is one of our most highly regarded New Zealanders and a great scientist of the 20th century.

The memorial honours his legacy and is frequented by both locals and tourists alike, so to see the memorial damaged in such a senseless way was extremely upsetting for Police and the Brightwater community.

We were disappointed to see that his memorial was treated in such a way.

Thankfully, due to some fantastic Police work by our dedicated local officer Constable Jamie White, we were able to resolve this matter overnight.

Constable White took direct action to apprehend the man after he jumped into the flooding Wai-iti River to evade arrest.

Neither party were injured and they were able to make themselves back to shore safely.

We’d like to thank the local community for their assistance in providing information to Police which ultimately helped us find the statue.

It shows the great work that can happen when Police and our communities work together.

The damaged statue of Lord Ernest Rutherford at his National  and International Memorial Site in Brightwater where he was born.

Thank you to the local community for helping the Police Editor.

Police release 8 August

Pigeon Post News

Shocking - young boy Statue of Lord Ernest Rutherford - removed from his Birthplace Memorial - Springs Grove, Tasman.

The young boy statue of Ernest Rutherford at the memorial of where he was born. His Father and Mother had a house and worked the land behind him.  Photo supplied

 Lord Ernest Rutherford Childhood Statue Stolen

From a social media post it was reported on 5 Aug that between 1.50am and 2.30am the Lord Ernest Rutherford Memorial statue was removed and stolen from his Birthplace Memorial in Springs Grove, Tasman New Zealand. 

The statue as it is now to remember Lord Ernest Rutherford. Photo R Therkleson

The suspect is believed to be male and was riding a bicycle. They have entered via Lord Rutherford Road North and exited around 2.40am heading north on Lord Rutherford Road North. 

This is incredibly shocking and disappointing to see a statue of such a local and international icon and significance of the memorial being on Lord Rutherford’s birthplace damaged and stolen.

Ernest Rutherford about 5 years old. Photo supplied

I went to the memorial site this morning and people were visiting the memorial in deep regret that such an act could have happened to the memorial.

Someone will likely know who did this or where the statue has been taken to. It is very unique and easily identifiable. 

This is the latest police report to media:

“Wakefield Police are making enquiries following the theft of the Lord Rutherford Memorial Statue from its plinth on Lord Rutherford Road early yesterday morning.

The theft is believed to have occurred around 2am when a person on a bike broke off the body of the statue and rode away.

If anyone has information relating to the whereabouts of the statue or who is responsible for its theft, please contact Constable Jamie White directly by emailing Jamie.white2@police.govt.nz.

Alternatively, you can contact Wakefield Police on 105 and quote file number 220806/1718.”

Ernest Rutherford was born in Spring Grove at this site on 30 August 1871, the fourth child of 12 born to James Rutherford, a mechanic, and his wife, Martha Thompson, who had been the schoolteacher at Spring Grove.

He was officially but mistakenly registered as Earnest at birth but, in the family he was called Ern. 

Ernest Rutherford's paternal grandfather, George Rutherford, was recruited in Scotland to help establish a sawmill in New Zealand. 

During the early 1840s the New Zealand Company colonized New Zealand by sending one shipload of emigrants each month. 

In 1842 George and a pregnant Barbara Rutherford embarked on the ship ‘Phoebe’ with their four young sons. Ernest's father James celebrated his fourth birthday during the tedious 133-day voyage.(Four Months at Sea)

The ‘Phoebe' arrived in Nelson in March 1843 and the Rutherford family travelled to Motueka, Tasman where George helped build and operate Thomas Thoms' sawmill.

A year later Thomas Thoms became ill and the Rutherfords moved to Waimea West where they farmed and operated their own sawmill. Life was extremely hard.

By 1853 the large Rutherford family had shifted again, to Spring Grove Tasman, to the farm behind the memorial where Ernest Father and Mother prospered.

Ernest's father James worked in the family wheelwright business.

When James and Martha married, his father gave them the land to build a house on, where the Memorial is today. There is no photo of the house only when it was demolished in about 1920.

Lord Rutherford's parents James and Martha Rutherford. Photo supplied

The first eight of the couple's twelve children were born at the site of the memorial.

When Ernest was five they moved to a small farm in the Wai-iti valley near the new railhead at Foxhill, where he attended Foxhill School.

The Rutherford children all helped with the household and farm chores. Ernest milked cows, tended the vegetable garden and acted as a scarecrow for the ripening wheat.

Later Ernest claimed his inventiveness was honed on the challenges of helping out on his parents' farm: ‘We haven't the money, so we've got to think.’

In 1883, when Ernest was 11 years old, his father moved the family to Havelock to be nearer to the flax mill he was now operating by the Ruapaka Stream. 

Martha Rutherford ensured that all her children were well prepared for school and all received a good education. She believed ‘all knowledge is power.’

In 1887 Ernest won the Marlborough Education Board scholarship to Nelson College and went on to Canterbury College before going overseas in 1895. 

A sketch of Ernest Rutherford at the Memorial sit between Spring Grove and Brightwater Tasman New Zealand

For his research into the chemistry of radioactive substances Rutherford was awarded the Nobel prize in chemistry in 1908 as well as many other awards and honours. 

Considered to be New Zealand’s greatest scientist, he made outstanding contributions to science including the Rutherford–Bohr nuclear model of the atom. He was also the first to split the atom.

Rutherford died at Cambridge on 19 October 1937 and his ashes were interred in London's Westminster Abbey. 

Lord Ernest Rutherford's Resting place Westminster Abbey. Photo supplied

Lady Rutherford retired to Christchurch where she died in1954. Rutherford's medals, possibly the world's best assemblage awarded to one scientist, were given to Canterbury College.

Additional Comments:

Great story and awesome to read the history. Please send an update if you hear about a possible retrieval of the statue. 

Damn that's amazing can't believe I live In the town where he was born.

This makes my heart sad!

Just shocking

Expect more of this with the cost of living crisis on the rise, recycled metals are worth alot at the moment.

A Disgusting act from some cretin that lives amongst us. Pathetic!

There is apparently CCTV footage of the perp' riding a bicycle, which should be spread far and wide on the off-chance someone will recognise them.

Unbelievably shitty thing to do shame on you whoever you are 🤨

Can you please make it so we can share far and wide? Thank you.

Someone must know something they can share with the police. Why would someone do this? Money for the metal? Disgusting! 

May justice persevere. 😔

Thanks to everyone who has commented. It's kind of you to give feedback. I will try and follow-up on this story but will be otherwise occupied for a few days. Ray editor

Pigeon Post News

New Cyclists and Pedestrian Bridge to be named after Christine Pullar of Golden Bay

A separate new bridge for cyclists and pedestrians to be attached to Motupipi River Bridge, Motupipi Golden Bay

Tasman District Council beginning new bridge at Motupipi 

Tasman District Council is about to begin on a new shared pathway bridge over the Motupipi River in Golden Bay.

Site works on the bridge, which is to be named after community cycling and walking advocate Christine Pullar, starts next week.

The prefabricated structure will be mounted on piles on the seaward side of the road bridge, near the intersection of Abel Tasman Drive and Burnside Road.

Currently, cyclists and pedestrians on the popular Tākaka to Pōhara shared path must share the narrow Motupipi Road bridge with other traffic, raising safety concerns for all users.

The project has a price tag of just under $400,000 and is expected to be finished in time for the summer visitor season.

Additional Comments:-

-So great to hear of the proposed cycle way - it’s a bit scary cycling over that bridge when there is traffic. 

-Christine was an amazing person, a champion for cycling. This is a perfect naming. A lovely tribute to her life. 

-Murray Devine this is awesome news, I always get nervous going over it in case of cars, so I go speedy as 😆

-Great news this, Always a bit of a dodgy pinch point for traffic and bikes.

-Yes she certainly was a lovely person ...Great idea

-Awesome news! Biking the motupipi Hill with our girls will feel much safer. Some how people miss the giant "40km speed limit applies when cyclists or pedestrians are present" signs.

-One day they might even connect one end of the path to the other,  a gap in the middle, at its most dangerous,,,,maybe.

Thanks for your comments Golden Bay. It's lovely to have some comments. Ray Editor.

Pigeon Post News