Source: Radio New Zealand
Flooding on farmland at the base of the Awakino Gorge in October 2025. Supplied / Bree Joyce
Farmers are facing their second major clean up in six months around Northern Taranaki and King Country.
A farmer near Awakino Gorge said she was cleaning up after the worst torrential rain she has ever seen.
The storm came through on Saturday night with about 144 millimetres of rain falling in 24 hours at her farm in northern Taranaki.
Gaewyn Temple-Cox from Tawariki Farms said the number of slips is shocking, and stock losses are unable to be confirmed at this stage.
She has counted 52 slips on the hills while driving around to survey the damage.
Some slips have taken out fences and farm tracks.
Temple-Cox was also concerned their dairy grazing operation will be impacted by road closures in coming weeks.
It was a busy time of the season with final weighing, pregnancy testing, and stock coming in and out.
She was not sure if stock trucks would be able to get through due to slips on the roads.
Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton said he flew over the area in a Defence Force helicopter on Sunday and has been speaking to people impacted by the storm.
He spoke to one farmer who lost 100 lambs in the storm.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
