Heavy rain became heavier

Auckland/Tamaki Makarau was flooded by almost 24 hours of very heavy rain. Not everywhere, but in most places, the storm water system was stretched and failed. Power failures were common; our power failed at the exact moment I sat down to post my blip at about 9 pm. we went to bed with a few torches to light our way. 

Daughter C and her sons packed some valuables and left their home a couple of hours after I took this blip, as the creek at the bottom of the rise her house is on was flooding one of the main routes out, and she feared the water may even rise to flood her house. Cars were caught on the motorway north, unable to go through surface flooding, and unable to turn around. On her way to our house, C was twice blocked by water on the road, and once by a tree fallen onto the road. Had she stayed she would have been cut off.

When I took this photo (just before 2 pm) the rain was heavy but we were unaware of the coming problems. I took this photo because of the visibly falling rain. And also struck by the amount of water in the barrow. It was empty on Thursday night, and on Friday morning there was about 25 mm in it. 

What I wasn't to know, and didn't photograph, is that by the time C arrived the barrow was overflowing and still the rain kept on. And on. And on. Pauses began about 7 pm, but it didn't stop until sometime overnight. 

As I post this a day late (the power came back on about 2 am), everything is rather eerily quiet. Everyone else here is still asleep. I hope not to wake anyone, but I want a mug of coffee.

Additional: Mr H informed me that the power was actually restored about 11:30 last night. Sooner than I expected, and very much sooner than our neighbour who came to the door in the rain to ensure that we (‘the old couple next door’) were alright; he suggested it may be off for a couple of weeks.