Simple Minds, seen at an earlier show, was reportedly forced to end their show early due to dangerous weather.
Photo: AFP
Heavy rain is pounding much of the North Island, with thousands reportedly forced to evacuate a Simple Minds concert in Hamilton early.
The Simple Minds concert in Hamilton’s Claudelands Oval as part of the Summer Concert Series was evacuated before the end due to hazardous conditions and lightning.
“A crew member came on stage and told them cut it short,” one woman on Facebook said on a Waikato community page.
There were reportedly several thousand people at the concert told to leave.
Concertgoers were asked to evacuate Claudelands Oval a few minutes before the scheduled end of tonight’s Simple Minds concert.
Photo: Supplied / Jonathan Hall
Concert-goer Jonathan Hall told RNZ it was a shame the event ended early.
He said a security guard came onstage and told crowds to evacuate at about 6.25pm – five minutes before the show was scheduled to end.
Hall said the crowd seemed calm, but he was disappointed headline act Simple Mind’s last song was cut short.
He said he was unsure why the concert could not continue for a few more minutes, but said it was a good event overall.
Greenstone Entertainment, the organiser of Summer Concert, said the event at Claudelands Oval ended ten minutes early because of thunder and lightning.
RNZ staff member Anastasia Hedge, who was at the concert, said audience members were told to take down all tents and umbrellas during the show due to high wind warnings.
Simple Minds were performing their hit song ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ when the concert was abruptly ended, she said.
The Simple Minds concert at Claudelands Oval in Hamilton was evacuated early due to thunder and lightning, the organiser said.
Photo: Supplied / Jonathan Hall
Some attendees voiced concern about the weather on social media earlier today, but were reassured by Greenstone Entertainment that the event would go ahead.
The company commented that the concert would only be cancelled if the conditions were considered dangerous by organisers.
Simple Minds had performed in Taupō Saturday.
The rain-out comes one year after Elton John was forced to abandon a concert in Auckland during the Anniversary Weekend flooding.
Meanwhile, flooding, debris and slips were making driving conditions treacherous on State Highway 3 north of New Plymouth on Sunday evening.
Waka Kotahi said contractors were on their way to assess State Highway 3 between Awakino and Mahoenui and drivers were advised to take extra care in the area.
SH3 AWAKINO TO MAHOENUI, WAIKATO – FLOODING, DEBRIS & SLIPS – 5PM, SUN 28 JAN
Due to flooding, debris and slips, CAUTION is advised along SH3 between Awakino and Mahoenui at this time. Contractors are en route to assess the route. Overnight updates: https://t.co/x1LacjepQw ^CS pic.twitter.com/ojRFfXH5dz— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) January 28, 2024
Earlier, MetService upgraded a heavy rain watch to an orange warning for parts of the central North Island.
A front is moving onto the North Island from the west, bringing a period of rain to many parts of the island. Meanwhile, a slow-moving front is set to bring rain to the Westland District.
The heavy rain warning is in place for Bay of Plenty about and east of Whakatāne, including the eastern ranges, from 3pm to 5am Monday, Waikato south of Te Awamutu, inland Bay of Plenty west of Whakatāne, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taupō, and Tongariro National Park from noon to midnight.
Streams and rivers may rise rapidly, surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous, MetService warns.
The heavy rain watch is still in place for Westland District south of Franz Josef and North Taranaki including the Mountain/Taranaki Maunga until 9pm Sunday.
Thunderstorms may also hit in those regions, with rainfall amounts possibly reaching warning criteria in localised places, MetService said.
The heavy rain watch for Fiordland has been lifted as conditions eased there on Sunday morning.
Rain radar update
The broad rain band moving onto the central North Island has pockets of heavier rain within it
⚡ Lightning strikes have been recorded over the hills west of Huntly and Te Kuiti this morning
Most of the radar echoes we see around the Manawatū right… pic.twitter.com/Os0rRfQ8CB
— MetService (@MetService) January 27, 2024