© Warwick Smith/ Fairfax NZThe Whangaehu River in flood.
Waitotara is located about 30 kilometres north of Whanganui. It has sixty houses and sits on the Waitotara River, which flooded in the heavy rain over the weekend.
Residents were not able to return to their homes on Sunday, as flood waters were still high, Civil Defence said. Some residents were asked to evacuate, while others self-evacuated. Many went to the nearby town of Waverley.
A state of emergency remains in place for Taranaki, Whanganui and Rangitikei.
More than 200 people were evacuated from areas near the Whanganui River, which reached record levels of 9.1 metres at Town Bridge at 3am on Sunday. Many more people had self-evacuated.
About 100 flood affected homes on the city's Anzac Parade could be inaccessible until Tuesday because of the high waters, the Ministry of Civil Defence said.
© Tracey GranFlooding of the Kowhai Park Dairy on Anzac Parade in Whanganui.
Slips had also come down on the aveneue and needed to be assessed before the road could reopen.
The city's bridges were closed and would not reopen until structural assessments had been made. Areas of high risk were being cordoned off.
Stuart-Black said power in the region was intermittent, but water was available and civil defence centres were open at Wanganui Girls' College and at St Johns.
Mayor Annette Main was cut off from her home, 45km upriver from the city, and said the floodwater had risen so high that it was nearly lapping at her doors.
Horizon's operations team was expected to breach the stopbank by Whanganui's Kowhai Park following high tide at 2pm to allow water in the area to flow back through to the sea.
A suspected break in the fibre optic cable has left Rangitikei with limited mobile and internet coverage. Grant said the break was believed to be in the cable between Marton and Whanganui. The Rangitikei District Council evacuated six people from the Turakina Beach village of Koitiata on Saturday night with help from rural fire crews and the army.
State Highway 3 between Whanganui and New Plymouth reopened on Sunday morning, but motorists were being advised against non-essential travel.
© Gerry LeibbrandWaitotara the morning after.
The Whanganui River on Sunday morning.
He urged those who did have to travel to allow extra time for their journey.
Trapped in Taranaki
Whanganui has been badly hit by flooding and a state of emergency has been put in place.
Some residents in the South Taranaki town of Waitotara slept in their cars on Saturday night after being evacuated following rising flood waters.
Waitotara suffered much of the worst damage from the widespread flooding around Taranaki and the lower North Island. Residents began returning to the village, in their gumboots, on Sunday morning and were waiting for the waters to recede, so they could get into their homes
James Takarangi spent Saturday night in his car.
He was evacuated from his home at 10.30pm and headed for Waverley, but the accommodation filled up quickly and with all of the beds taken he ended up in his car. He returned to Waitotara on Sunday morning to find the front of his house covered in mud.
© Tracey Grant/Fairfax MediaOutside the Red Lion Hotel Whanganui a footpath has slipped slipped into the Whanganui River.
"That's what we do. You just get on with it."
Waitotara School acting principal Jane Corcoran said the school hall was flooded, as was the dental clinic, but she hadn't been able to get to the main school building. Corcoran, along with some parents, had entered the school in at lunchtime on Saturday and moved everything in off the ground.
© Gerry LeibbrandtWaitotara on Sunday morning as residents started coming back.
It was "creaking and groaning" as debris - including trees and an entire shed washed downstream - smashed into its supports on Saturday night.
Federated Farmers still had some concerns for people in Whangamomona, he said. Helicopter operator Alan Beck flew over the eastern Taranaki area on Sunday morning and said many roads in the area were cut off by slips and power lines were down.
State Highway 3 at Urenui has reopened to one lane, partially restoring access between Taranaki and Waikato. The Uruti Valley has been hit by slips and trees that have taken down power lines and it was not known when full supply will be restored. At Strathmore in eastern Taranaki, faultmen are working to reconnect about 136 properties.
© Warwick Smith/Fairfax NZThe Manawatu River south of Palmerston North.
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