Locals have been stuck in the Waioeka Gorge for a week after heavy rain caused slips.
40 people were evacuated, but many locals stayed.
Wairata Road Farmer Rebecca Redpath said they had no choice but to.
“We've all got farms and livestock and whatnot to look after.”
“So, unless there was some drastic reason to leave, then I think we all have to stay put and take care of our businesses and our homes,” she said.
On her farm, accessing all the livestock has been difficult, with some initially cut off by slips. She said in the week since they have all been moved to new feed and there have been no losses that she is aware of.
She said only one camper remains in Wairata Road with his campervan.
She said weather events in the Gorge are not unusual and NZTA “are really good at getting them (slips) cleared.” She added that the weather that caused the damage was unusual.
“Just from speaking to people who have lived here for a long time, I feel like this weather event was really one out of the box,” she said.
She believes usually there is less damage in typical weather events in the area.
Redpath said due to this, on the day of the rain, she was not initially concerned. She said she was supposed to be going to a wedding that day but plans quickly changed when the rain stopped and the extent of the damage was clear.
“Our very local road here, Wairata Road, had slipping and washouts all over it.”
“We realised that we were not going anywhere,” she said.
Her Father-in-law, who has lived in the Gorge his whole life, has never seen anything like it she said.
Initially she was blocked in, “we couldn't get more than half a kilometre in any direction, and we had no power.”
Redpath said it was not until later that night when they watched the news; they realised there was significant damage to State Highway 2.
However, being physically isolated has not deterred locals from getting stuck into work on their local roads to get connected with their neighbors.
Since the Council cannot access the Gorge “we've just all been chipping in and just working to connect everyone back together so that we can make sure everyone's fine,” she explained.
“Communities at times like this, they really come together and show their resilience and support each other,” she said.
Civil Defence has been a lifeline for communication and supplies, she said.
There has already been one supply drop with groceries and medicine for residents who needed it, with another due next week.
“Apart from just the supplies, they've just been checking in to make sure that we are safe and let us know about the weather that's happening, and just checking if there's anything urgently needed and if there was an emergency that anyone had to come out, they'd obviously assist with that,” she said.
- Water near Redpaths' property down Wairata Road in Waioeka Gorge IMAGE: Supplied
- Water near Redpaths' property down Wairata Road in Waioeka Gorge IMAGE: Supplied
- Water near Redpaths' property down Wairata Road in Waioeka Gorge IMAGE: Supplied
- Water near Redpaths' property down Wairata Road in Waioeka Gorge IMAGE: Supplied
- Water near Redpaths' property down Wairata Road in Waioeka Gorge IMAGE: Supplied
Despite the extent of the damage and recent rain, Redpath is grateful for the support from Ōpōtiki and that “we haven't been hit as badly as other parts of the country.”
Redpath added Wednesday’s weather event brought heavy rain, but no further damage was caused.
Until the road is reopened, she said everyone on Wairata Road is staying connected with each other and Civil Defence.
This morning, NZTA said crews at the Ōpōtiki side of the Gorge are making good progress, and another 40-tonne digger has been called in to help clear faster.
NZTA Controller SH2 Waioeka Gorge Response and Recovery Rob Service said, “Getting an additional digger on site is a big step in helping us tackle the major blockages.”
Crews at the Gisborne end are expected back on site today, following flooding which delayed a re-assessment yesterday.
NZTA Aiming for One Lane Re-Opened in Waioeka Gorge in Two Weeks
Roads are Closed Across the Bay of Plenty, Following Yesterday's Heavy Rain
Precautionary Local State of Emergency Declared for Bay of Plenty
Heavy Rain Warning Issued Urging Caution from Civil Defence and Police
