Taneatua's 'worst affected' woman begins clean-up

Antoinette Spencer gets to work cleaning up floodwaters from her driveway in Taneatua. Photo/John Borren

She could see the water rising - and there was nothing she could do.

Antoinette Spencer, 70, saw it come down the passageway towards her.

Then it came through the back door and ranch-sliders.

"The waves from passing cars didn't help."

She put as many items as she could on stools and tables, then retreated to a neighbour's home.

"I was going spare watching it," she said.

"But I'm safe."

Mrs Spencer's home is the worst affected in Taneatua, south of Whakatane.

Mrs Spencer was busy today sweeping muddy water from the driveway.

When the Bay of Plenty Times asked to go inside, she said there was no need to remove our gumboots at the door.

"It'll be squelch, squelch, squelch anyway," she said.

And it was.

The interior of the home was a mess of soaked carpet and muddy lino, the flood having retreated as fast as it had come.

Sewage-infested water had left a high-water mark on the skirting boards.

One comfort was that the insurance company was already assessing the situation.

The fire brigade had also helped out.

Mrs Spencer's grandson, who was helping with the clean up, said he planned to go boating in the flooded reserve near her home.

Mrs Spencer seemed almost cheery as she returned to sweeping the drive with blistered fingers.

"My bathroom's a bit munted," she said.

"But poor old Edgecumbe's got it much worse."