History.
Floods!
February, 2004
When the storms hit, they hit with avengeance. Places that normally coped well with a modest increase in the water levels were soon inundated, some places with less than 30 minutes warning. People literally left their homes in the clothes they were wearing and consequently lost everything. Whole communities are now evacuated; farmers are seeking land to graze what stock they have left; hundreds of crops are destroyed; thousands of deer, cattle, horses, sheep, llamas and pigs have drowned; homes are uninhabitable due to water damage and the inevitable insurgence of untreated sewage.
Homes and livelihoods were wrecked; many hundreds of farm animals lost; bridges swept away; possessions and pets either drowned or swept away by the waters; roads closed and whole communities isolated without clean water, gas, electricity or phones, due to massive landslips. The areas flooded cover a large portion of the lower North Island and the upper South Island. The few dairy farmers who are able to milk their animals are having to dump the milk as there is no means for collection by the processing plant. The floods also caused huge landslips which have blocked main roads and severed communications.
The affected area spread over quite a distance, encompassing both the lower North and upper South Islands. Landslips in the Wellington area caused at least one house to be demolished and the loss of this vehicle. The neighbour of film producer, Peter Jackson, lost his home when a landslip behind it rushed through the building, almost costing him his life. Little could be salvaged. Now he faces the task of rebuilding the home he loved.
Civil Defence volunteers and emergency services have been at full stretch, with assistance coming from the army, in the recovery of stock and distribution of emergency aid. Some face the loss of their homes once the insurance assessors have been, others will have the chance to rebuild. Many do not have adequate insurance.
The lashing of wind, destablising of trees and wash outs from silty streams have cost people dearly. Many homes will never be inhabited again and need demolishing. Others will be cleaned and whatever possible, salvaged, but it is a long and arduous task for these communities.
In a struggle to stop looters, which sadly the abandoned homes in one region suffered from as the waters receeded, any road leading to these homes is strictly policed and those wishing to move closer to the dwellings have had to prove the legitimacy of their being there.
Thankfully there has been no loss of human life, despite over a thousand people still not having a home to return to. The spirit of those affected and those close enough to help is amazing. The whole country is behind those who are endeavouring to rebuild shattered dreams. The regions involved spread over a huge area and include the picturesque area chosen for Tom Cruise's latest film, The Last Samurai. (yes, it was filmed here, not in Japan) Animals still in the flooded area are running out of food as they wait to be moved to higher ground, but many still cannot be reached.
Images sourced from TV One, The Dominion Post and other local papers.