Flood protection works near Thames have held firm despite a massive storm that has seen almost half a metre of rain fall on the area

State Highway 25 on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula remains closed by flooding between Hikuai and Tairua,

Thames-Coromandel civil defence controller Garry Towler said the rain had been forecast to dissipate early this afternoon but it was "still swirling around" a short time ago.

There's still "a huge amount of water" on the road between Hikuai and Tairua and the road was likely to stay closed until late this evening.

However, a fear that the spillway on the Kauaeranga River just south of Thames might have to be opened at around the high tide at 3pm did not eventuate.

470mm of rain had been recorded already at the Pinnacles, with more rain likely to take the total above half a metre.