Transmission Gully at Waitangirua will have a northbound lane closure for paving from 9pm to 4.30am Monday and from 7pm to 4.30am Tuesday.

Southbound closures are also planned between the Westchester/Grenada Drive off-ramp and Johnsonville on-ramp on Monday night, the Tawa southbound off-ramp and Johnsonville on-ramp on Tuesday night, and the Tawa southbound off-ramp and Westchester/Grenada Drive off-ramp on Wednesday night.

The Johnsonville southbound off-ramp and northbound on-ramp will close Monday and Tuesday nights from 10pm to 4.30am for maintenance.

In Pukerua Bay, stop/go traffic controls will be in place at the southern end of Coast Road from Tuesday to Friday, 7am to 5pm, for drainage work. Altered lane layouts are also planned near Pukerua Bay shops on Thursday night from 11.59pm to 3am for cyclist handrail replacement work.

In Mana, lane closures will affect traffic between Pascoe Avenue and Mana Bridge from Tuesday to Thursday for fibre pit installation.

On State Highway 58, stop/go traffic controls and altered lane layouts will continue between Moonshine Road and Flightys Road, at Pāuatahanui and near Pāuatahanui Bridge, as part of the SH58 project.

Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time, follow signs and take care around road crews.

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MetService issued the alert at 11:52am, covering Porirua City, Hutt City, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City and South Wairarapa.

Weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua about 11:45am. The system is moving east-southeast and is expected to track across Wellington and Wainuiomata by 12:15pm, reaching Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and the southern Remutaka Range by 12:45pm.

Forecasters say the storms are likely to bring very heavy rain, raising the risk of surface and flash flooding in streams, gullies and urban areas. Driving conditions may become extremely hazardous.

An update is due at 12:45pm.

Looking ahead, a heavy rain watch has been issued for parts of the wider Wellington region not covered by the thunderstorm warning, including Kāpiti Coast and Horowhenua. The watch runs for 31 hours from 11am Monday to 6pm Tuesday.

MetService says periods of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms could approach warning levels, with a moderate chance the watch will be upgraded.

A strong wind watch is also in place for Wellington, including Porirua, from 4pm Monday to 9am Tuesday. Southerly winds may approach severe gale in exposed areas, with a moderate chance of escalation to a warning.

Residents are advised to stay alert, clear drains where safe, and avoid flooded areas. Motorists are urged to drive to the conditions and allow extra travel time.

One household in Porirua has been evacuated as torrential rain sweeps across the region, with nearby areas including Pāuatahanui and Plimmerton among the hardest hit.

Pāuatahanui resident Andrew Frazer said the downpour was unlike anything he had seen in decades.

“We just had perhaps the heaviest rain I’ve ever seen, sort of like tropical hurricane-like rain storm, and this rain just came up really, really quickly,” Frazer told RNZ.

Floodwater entered his home for about an hour before receding, leaving behind silt and damage.

In Plimmerton, residents are spending the day sandbagging properties and clearing drains after a nearby stream overflowed into homes. One property reported flooding in a garage and bedroom, with neighbours stepping in to help while the homeowners were away.

Local volunteer Damo said flooding in the area was a recurring issue.

“The stream floods pretty much every time there’s a big storm,” he told RNZ, adding blocked drains remained an ongoing concern despite repeated requests for maintenance.

His mother, Irene, said the repeated impact on residents was frustrating.

“This is the second time in four to five years that they’ve been flooded out like this,” she told RNZ.

Fire crews are working alongside residents to clear drains, helping water levels drop more quickly than in previous events.

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said 40mm of rain fell in Plimmerton over a two-hour period, contributing to the flooding.

Wellington Region Emergency Management Office regional manager Dan Neely said two further bands of heavy rain are expected later on Saturday, around 2pm and 8pm.

“We know we have two big rain bands coming, but there is a lot of uncertainty about where they will hit and how much rain will fall,” Neely said.

“We are urging people to avoid all non-essential travel for the rest of today, but particularly around those times,” he said.

Neely said there was concern for already affected areas and key routes.

“We have concern for the areas already impacted, including around SH2, SH58 and SH59,” he said.

“If you are travelling on those routes when the heavy rain hits, you may be impacted by flash or surface flooding. Do not drive through floodwaters.”

Across the wider region, 25 households have been evacuated in Stokes Valley, while Porirua has recorded one evacuation. Most displaced residents are staying with family and friends, with a small number housed in council facilities.

Neely urged residents to take precautions ahead of the next rain bands.

“Stay inside and don’t drive unless absolutely necessary,” he said.

“Act quickly if you see rising water. Do not wait for official warnings. Move to higher ground.

“Never try to walk, swim or drive through flood water.”

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says stop-go traffic controls will be in place on SH58 between Moonshine Road and Flightys Road from Sunday, April 18 to Thursday, April 24, operating nightly from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The works are part of the ongoing SH58 safety and upgrade project.

An altered lane layout will remain in place day and night along the same stretch, with crews continuing widening, drainage and safety improvements.

At the SH58 Pāuatahanui Bridge, west of the Pāuatahanui roundabout, stop-and-hold controls will operate during peak school times from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is to allow safe pedestrian access while off-road bridge and shared path work is carried out.

Drivers using Transmission Gully will face a northbound on-ramp closure between Pāuatahanui and Mackays Crossing on Monday night from 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. for weigh gantry installation.

Several overnight ramp closures on the Wellington motorway network may also affect Porirua commuters travelling into the city. These include the Takapu Road northbound off-ramp in Tawa from Monday to Tuesday nights, and the southbound route between Tawa and Johnsonville from Wednesday to Thursday nights.

The Johnsonville northbound off-ramp will close Tuesday night, while the Aotea Quay southbound off-ramp will close Monday night for resurfacing work.

Closer to Porirua, Pukerua Bay drivers can expect stop-go controls at the southern end of Coast Road for drainage work from Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday from 7 a.m. to midday.

NZTA says all works are weather dependent and may be postponed.

For Porirua residents, the SH58 works are likely to have the biggest impact, particularly for those commuting to the Hutt Valley or using Transmission Gully overnight.

Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and follow temporary traffic management in place.

The arrest follows an investigation into alleged illicit drug dealing in the local community.

Kāpiti-Mana Area Response Manager Senior Sergeant Jen Blackwood said Police acted on information about a property believed to be involved in drug distribution.

On Thursday 9 April, officers from the Kāpiti-Mana Tactical Crime Unit executed a search warrant at the address, supported by the Police Safety Team, Offender Prevention Team, a dog handler and the Kāpiti-Mana Beat Team.

During the search, Police located $14,490 in cash along with 121 grams of methamphetamine, 27 grams of ecstasy and 60 grams of cannabis. Ammunition was also found at the property.

Blackwood said sheds on the property were also searched, where officers discovered several vehicles believed to be stolen. These included two motorbikes, three electric bikes and two electric scooters.

Four people were present at the address and were taken into custody without incident.

The man faces charges including possession of methamphetamine for supply, possession of ecstasy for supply, possession of a cannabis plant, possession of cocaine and unlawful possession of ammunition. He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in Porirua District Court on 12 May.

Police are continuing inquiries and are working to return the recovered vehicles to their rightful owners.

The works begin Monday and continue through to Sunday, mostly taking place overnight to limit disruption. Detours and stop go traffic controls will be in place in several locations.

Transmission Gully and Tawa area will see multiple closures early in the week. On Monday and Tuesday nights from 7pm to 5.30am, northbound lanes will shift for pavement quality testing, while the southbound off-ramp at Tawa to Westchester Drive and Grenada Drive will be closed.

Further southbound closures are planned Wednesday and Thursday nights between 9pm and 4.30am for resurfacing just south of the Tawa off-ramp. Additional lane closures for drainage maintenance will take place Sunday and Thursday nights near Johnsonville.

Several on-ramps and off-ramps around Johnsonville and Newlands will also close overnight, including the Johnsonville southbound on-ramp on Tuesday and the Newlands southbound off-ramp on Thursday. A series of resurfacing works will affect connections between Johnsonville and Newlands the same night.

In central Wellington, multiple tunnel closures are scheduled. The Terrace Tunnel will close Tuesday night for streetlight pole replacement. The Arras Tunnel will close Monday night for resurfacing, followed by the Mt Victoria Tunnel on Wednesday night for general maintenance.

Cobham Drive in Kilbirnie will be closed northbound Tuesday night between Troy Road and Evans Bay Parade, while Wellington Road will close northbound Sunday night for paving. Additional paving works are planned at the southern end of Coast Road in Pukerua Bay on Wednesday night.

State Highway 58 through Judgeford will also be affected, with alternating lane closures Sunday and Monday nights for streetlight replacements between Moonshine Road and Flightys Road. Ongoing stop go traffic controls and altered layouts remain in place day and night as part of the wider SH58 project.

During the day, drivers in Pukerua Bay should expect stop go controls between 7am and 5pm north of Airlie Road for drainage works.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is urging motorists to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and follow all signage and traffic management in place.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says the works will run from April 4 to April 10, and are weather dependent.

Motorists in Porirua and along the coastal route will see daytime disruption at Pukerua Bay, where stop-go traffic management will be in place on Coast Road from Tuesday to Friday, 7am to 5pm, for drainage works.

On SH1 just south of Whitford Brown Avenue, southbound lane closures are planned Monday and Tuesday nights for streetlight pole replacement.

In Wellington’s northern suburbs, several key ramps will close overnight. The southbound off-ramp at Westchester Drive and Grenada Drive will close Wednesday night, while Johnsonville’s southbound on-ramp and Newlands’ southbound off-ramp will both close Thursday night. A southbound lane closure will also run between Johnsonville and Newlands.

Through central Wellington, multiple urban motorway closures are scheduled. Northbound lanes between Tinakori Road and Ngauranga will close Tuesday and Wednesday nights, while the southbound section from Ngauranga to Willis Street will close Monday night. Vivian Street in Te Aro will also be fully closed Thursday night for resurfacing.

Further north in Kāpiti, drivers can expect ongoing disruptions linked to the Ōtaki to north of Levin project, with altered layouts and stop-go controls around Ōtaki and Manakau both day and night. A northbound lane closure is also planned on Raumati Straights Monday night.

On SH58, road users between Porirua and the Hutt Valley will see continued impacts from the safety upgrade project. Lane layouts remain altered between Moonshine Road and Flightys Road in Judgeford, with works running day and night. Stop-go controls will also be in place Wednesday night at the Pāuatahanui Bridge for construction activity.

NZTA is urging drivers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and follow all traffic management in place.

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said the highway was closed at both ends, with cordons in place at the SH2/SH58 Haywards interchange and the SH1/SH58 Pāuatahanui interchange.

The crash was first reported about 4.30pm, blocking the road and causing significant queues in both directions, including traffic heading from Porirua and the Hutt Valley.

By 6.45pm, the agency confirmed the highway remained closed while police carried out a serious crash investigation. The road was expected to stay shut “for some time”.

Motorists travelling between Porirua and the Hutt Valley are advised to detour via State Highway 1 and State Highway 2, and to allow extra time.

Residential access is available from the Haywards interchange up to near Flightys Rd.

Police have not yet released details on injuries or the cause of the crash.

Launched in May 2025 with 36 founding members, the directory has grown steadily over the past nine months. It moved past 60 businesses within weeks, reached 100 by mid-year, climbed beyond 150 in spring and now sits at more than 250 supporters from across Porirua and surrounding suburbs.

The milestone reflects strong backing from local operators who see value in supporting a media platform focused on local issues.

Porirua News editor Tim Wilson said the growth belongs to the business community.

“This is about local businesses choosing to stand behind local stories,” Wilson said. “Every business that joins is helping ensure Porirua has news that is focused on our people, our issues and our future.”

The directory was created to make it easier for residents to find trusted services close to home, from trades and hospitality to health, education, automotive and professional advice.

Over the past year, builders, electricians, arborists, cafés, caterers, fitness providers, mortgage advisers, print specialists, IT services, driving schools and community organisations have all come on board. Together, they represent a broad cross-section of Porirua’s economy.

Regular welcome stories and business spotlights continue to introduce new members to readers, highlighting the role local businesses play in strengthening community connection.

Wilson said the milestone is a reflection of that shared spirit across Porirua.

“We’re grateful to the businesses helping keep local stories alive, and we’re proud to help shine a light on the fantastic work they do every day in our community,” he said.

The full Porirua News Business Directory is available at poriruanews.co.nz/porirua-business-directory/.

Businesses interested in joining can email: Editor@PoriruaNews.co.nz