Locals were evacuated from Onepoto last night. Photo / Ben Green
Kaumātua have told Civil Defence the recent rain bombs that hit Bay of Plenty and areas around Onepoto Bay and parts of Te Araroa on the East Coast were worse than Cyclone Gabrielle.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) group controller Ben Green told the Herald around 480mm of rain had been dumped on the East Coast region, and it could be days before the 30 evacuees are allowed back to their homes.
“There are 13 homes in Te Araroa, which are at the foot of the main cliffs in the township and others in Onepoto Bay – which is cut off from Te Araroa – that have been evacuated,” Green said.
“We don’t know enough about the hazard and risks of those areas directly above those homes. We can see debris that has come from the weather event.
“We have saturation we haven’t seen on that level for many years.
“We have locals saying that Cyclone Gabrielle was only a child in terms of the weather event from a couple of days ago.
“To hear kaumātua talking the about the level of water flooding makes you take note.”
Green said all those asked to evacuate understood the situation.
On Saturday, significant landslide risks were identified and the decision made to move households – 13 from Te Araroa and 17 from nearby Onepoto – out.
The evacuation was led by Fire and Emergency New Zealand, police, Civil Defence and local iwi representatives.
Ground crews, including engineers and scientists, arrived this morning and will assess the safety of the surrounding areas from further slips.
“We need to be confident there is no risk to life and until this has been completed, they will not be returning,” Green said, adding that geotech was needed “to get absolute assurance” on safety.
“We have a couple of engineers and scientists, who headed to the area this morning and have representatives from Earth Sciences NZ coming in tomorrow.
“So it will take a few days ... We have got the goodwill of people but they will eventually want to know what’s happening and we will be doing our best to keep everyone up to date.”
The evacuees were relocated to friends and whānau, or within the community.
Civil Defence teams in both locations have support plans in place and things are progressing smoothly with whānau accepting and understanding of the risks, Green said.
He said the Bay of Plenty fatalities changed everyone’s mindsets and safety was the main priority.
Wiremu Henare, who works at the Four Square Matakaoa in Te Araroa, told the Herald one of his cousins – who also works in the store – was evacuated from her home last night.
“She just grabbed her kids and gapped it out,” Henare said.
“Her place is right in the red zone.”
Henare said the Four Square is about 100m from where the homes at the bottom of the hills are. The shop also has Wi-Fi, thanks to Starlink.
“We are on the flat and closer to the ocean. We are open and the Kai Cart, across from us, will open to provide takeout kai and our Wi-Fi is still going.”
“A lot of people have lost their cellphone coverage, so they can’t call whānau to say they are fine.
“In the end, no one was hurt here and we are all whānau around here so there’s always a place to stay.”
Te Araroa has a population of around 200.
One resident who contacted the Herald said locals are frustrated they can not help whānau who need supplies.
“Our people need help,” the local said.
“Choppers are flying overhead but none are stopping or delivering supplies such as petrol, food and medicines. We need kai, we need our supplies.”
The local said “it’s desperate”, with Civil Defence stopping people from taking 4WDs from neighbouring communities to help out.
She said the community is used to being isolated and getting help to each other but they’re being blocked.
“We have been through Bola and Gabrielle and have never had the level of debris and flooding in Te Araroa.”
This morning in an emotional Facebook post, Ngāti Ranginui Iwi expressed its sympathy to the families of those tragically lost at Mauao and Pāpāmoa. The text read:
Mai e Taramainuku,
mai e te waka o Rangi,
mai e Aituā kikini, Aituā kikino,
mai e koutou kua takahi atu ara ki a Nunumi,
kia a Roroa, whakamoe, whakamoe, te ara ki ngā mātua, e iri nei te tahatū o te rangi,
moe atu rā koutou e hika mā e ...
Tēnei te pō, nau mai e te ao.
“Ngāti Ranginui Iwi extends our deepest aroha and condolences to the families and loved ones of those who tragically lost their lives at Mauao and Pāpāmoa this week. Our hearts are heavy, and our people are deeply saddened by these events.
“Mauao is a sacred mountain to Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pukenga and Waitaha Iwi. It holds our stories, our whakapapa, and the spiritual threads that bind our people across generations. With this tragedy, those who have passed now become part of the sacred fabric of our maunga [mountain]. Their wairua [spirit] will forever rest beneath the mantle of Mauao, protected and embraced for all time.
“To the grieving families, we share in your sorrow. Though we cannot lessen the weight of your loss, we offer this assurance: your loved ones’ spirits will always be respected, honoured and safeguarded within the spiritual domain of our mountain and our moana. May you find some measure of solace in knowing that their wairua is held with reverence for eternity.
“Ngāti Ranginui offers our prayers, our compassion, and our collective strength to you during this time of immense grief. We stand with you, and we hold you in our hearts.
Hoki atu rā koutou, te awhi reinga atu kua kore i taea. Mā roto anō i ngā taonga whakamirimiri koutou hoki mai ai ā tōna wā, nō reira haere, whakangaro atu. Tauaraia te pō, titoko i te ao mārama, ihu ki te kei, e ngā ringa ki te kakau o te hoe, ki te muri e, kōkiri.