Pounding rain brings back memories of disaster

The weekend's downpour brought back memories for long-time Otumoetai residents of the devastating May 2005 floods.

Residents Bob and Nita Morris were not troubled by the weekend's rain but vividly recall the flood that destroyed their pool room and downstairs bathroom nearly eight years ago.

Back then the rain washed the newly laid gravel on Tirinui Crest Rd down on to Landscape Rd where it came to rest by their letterbox.

The pile of gravel stopped the stream of water flowing down the road and diverted it down the Morris' driveway and into the bottom of their house.

Their home of 50 years survived the rain which pounded the Bay during the weekend without incident but the golf course was the most flooded she had ever seen it, Mrs Morris said.

Lemon Grove Ave resident Don McKey also recalled the 2005 floods which destroyed a number of houses caught in landslides.

He lived three houses up from the site of the slip but only had to contend with a slightly flooded garage.

The latest bout of rain did not affect him thanks in large part to improved street drainage.

"If they hadn't done that those houses [on Vale St and Lemon Grove Ave] would have all gone yesterday and the day before."

But the rain still turned Vale St West into a river on Saturday morning and washed a large amount of gravel from the end of the road to the intersection with Landscape Rd, he said.

An ankle-deep river of water flooded down Vale St, up and over Rosie McCormack's swimming pool and into her garage during the weekend.

Her daughter was greeted by an ankle-deep pool of water when she came down from her room above the garage on Saturday morning.

Ms McCormack also remembers the 2005 floods although she was living elsewhere and was not affected. The drainage on Vale St had been improved but still needed work, she said.

"Even though they fixed it, it's still not up to par. They need to do more," Ms McCormack said.