Due to a lack of communication, many residents don’t know where to go. Rachel’s neighbour, who was also evacuating, said that the lack of communication and cellphone service was a significant problem.
“They’re saying ‘look at our Facebook, look on our page’, and because there’s no connection, you can’t figure out what’s going on.”
Carol Parkes, who is part of the neighbourhood support group for the area, said that having no cell communication was “just disgusting” and feared those going through severe emergency or medical situations would struggle when trying to call services. Many people were out helping each other by carrying bags and heavy items.
“It takes something like this to bring a community together,” said one resident.
In Maraenui, IRBs were out in force rescuing people along Venables Avenue and Cotterell Crescent. Many families were waiting at the entrance to the road waiting for whānau, while some were assisting emergency services.
“If the drains worked, we’d be away,” one resident said.
One woman was waiting for her moko to be evacuated while the rest of her family held on to their belongings; others braved the floodwaters to help rescue vulnerable residents. A man taking his ute through the storm to rescue people joked it would be a “world record” after he had returned for a fourth time.
At the Civil Defence evacuation centre at McLean Park, Nourished for Nil were arriving with food, while nurses and Civil Defence personnel were on-hand to assist. Malcolm and Olive, who are in their 80s, were escorted by police to the shelter and struggled to make contact with friends.
“We’re all in the same boat,” Malcolm said.
