STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY DECLARED FOR WHANGANUI DISTRICT

Published on 19 April 2026

Mayor Andrew Tripe and and Emergency Manager Tim Crowe

Media release #1

Whanganui River flooding event
State of local emergency declared for Whanganui District

8.00am 19 April 2026

Due to severe rainfall across the middle and upper catchments of the Whanganui River overnight, Mayor Andrew Tripe has declared a state of local emergency for the Whanganui District at 6.57am this morning due to forecast flooding from river levels. 

Flood levels are forecast to:

  • Come very close to the top or overtopping the stopbanks at Kōwhai Park
  • Likely to close Whanganui River Road and affect upper river areas where roads will be affected in several locations including at the Whanganui River Hunting and Food Festival at Pungarehu Marae.

This means we need residents of riverside flood prone locations to prepare to evacuate and if required, evacuate designated areas. These areas include:

  • The lower area of Whanganui East, Anzac Parade
  • Lower area of Taupo Quay and the lower boardwalk areas
  • Upper River communities
  • Lower areas of Putiki, which may have water across roads and through marae/kohanga reo locations

Residents who wish to proactively evacuate are encouraged to do so with whānau or friends in the first instance.  Emergency Evacuation Centres will be at St Paul’s Church in Guyton Street and Whanganui Girls’ College, Whanganui East, and will open later this morning.  Partners are working with vulnerable communities, including our homeless.

The community can expect roads to be closed and cordons to be in place. 

“We need residents to prepare to evacuate seriously and to self-evacuate early if you are already concerned. If at any point you feel unsafe – dial 111”, says Mayor Andrew Tripe.

“We have a great team of Emergency Management Staff, Red Cross, Emergency Services, volunteers, community, Defence Force and Regional and Local Council staff all doing their part to support you – and we now need Whanganui residents to do their part”.

Residents should follow the Council’s Facebook page and website for the latest updates. An emergency management advisory will also follow this morning.

Ruapehu District Council declared a local state of emergency at 3.21am this morning.

 

 

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