Local Focus: 24 people rescued after being stuck for two days

More people were rescued today from flood-ravaged Fernhill in Hawke’s Bay.

The residents who live on Swamp Rd have been cut off since Tuesday.

“No one can come in, the roads are smashed up and our driveway is completely destroyed,” said Holly McFarlane. “We had to pack our stuff up as quickly as we could and just get to where the helicopter was.”

Twelve residents and 12 Samoan RSE workers were rescued by helicopter around 11am Thursday.

They landed at Hastings Aerodrome in Bridge Pa and then transferred to the emergency shelter at Hastings Sports Centre.

Graham Roddick said the water was over his two metre high fence.

“I rang the emergency twice on Tuesday mid-morning and told them what the problem was,” he said. “They just hung up on me.”

“A neighbour is a strong swimmer. He came in the kayak and he guided the horses. We managed to get horses up onto the hill.”

Fifteen-year-old Archie Brown grew up in Fernhill and said his family survived without power, phone service or water for two days.

His family had to boil rain water to drink and they relied on the remaining gas in the barbecue to cook.

This morning they were finally rescued.

“We got on the top of the hill in the subdivision we live in and there were helicopters coming in and we got everyone on board,” said Brown.

Public Interest Journalism Fund