A slip from Ōwairaka/Mt Albert brought trees and earth down to homes on Mt Albert Rd. Video / Anne Gibson
Jacinda Ardern, a helicopter, digger and rapid response to a potentially dangerous land and tree slide: the Ōwairaka/Mt Albert homeowner was impressed.
Danica Paki yesterday said her award-winning restored house on the side of the maunga was in danger after a landslide and trees came down around 6pm on Friday.
So Paki did all she could, including calling Auckland Council, their insurer and Albert Eden Puketapapa ward councillor Julie Fairey.
Paki said Ardern arrived to meet her and a neighbour late yesterday and explain the processes about what might happen next.
Samuel McConnell and Danica Paki: told to leave home on side of maunga. Photo / supplied
She found that reassuring and thanked Fairey for calling Ardern whose visit she said helped her and a neighbour.
Fairey said yesterday: “We’ve just come off a briefing for the elected members of Auckland Council where I asked about these kinds of situations. I’m just writing an email now to try to help. I’ve also contacted local Mt Albert MP Jacinda Ardern and she’s undertaken to visit the neighbours whose places are beside Danica’s place.”
Now, big gear is on its way to physically deal with the disaster and avert further damage.
This huge tree hit the house around 6pm on Friday night. Photo / supplied
Ian McCormick, Auckland Council’s building consents general manager, said a helicopter and digger would arrive on-site to deal with the damage.
“The situation is that the parks team will be conducting works to remediate this slip and the associated trees. I understand they will be using an excavator and helicopter,” he said.
Three residential properties directly below the slip were assessed under the council’s rapid building assessment process.
A yellow placard was issued on each of the buildings, limiting use of the property away from the rear part of the section that was affected by the slip.
An arborist considered that any work to remove the trees could destabilise the slip further, given more rain, McCormick said.
Jacinda Ardern arrived to meet the Mt Albert residents yesterday. Photo / Dean Purcell
“As a result, one of our geotechnical team assessed the situation. I understand remedial works are imminent, weather permitting. We have now withdrawn the yellow placards and replaced them with red placards. In the coming day or days, once the trees have been removed and risk averted, the placards will be changed to reflect the new situation.
“The occupants are aware and have all vacated the properties until works have been completed,” McCormick said.
Paki said yesterday that a huge pine tree toppled right beside her house but many more were looming above and she is pleading for help from authorities because she fears the slip from the maunga three days ago could move further.
Around 6pm on Friday at the height of the storm, a large amount of earth and many trees cascaded down from the public reserve administered by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority into the section and towards the highly-praised home she owns with husband Samuel McConnell.
Paki's Mt Albert Rd house won an interior design award but was in danger from slips. Photo / supplied
The slip was around 20m by 40m, perched just above her house, she said.
What terrified Paki the most is that the “island” of trees has slid off the maunga and now hangs precariously. Those trees she estimated were up to 80m tall but they now have no roots connecting them into the ground.
So, the trees could topple on to her place and the neighbours’.
“I fear that the island of trees and a huge amount of earth will move. The trees could topple and crush the houses. The earth could cascade down further and push into the back of our house or the neighbours’,” she said.
