Almost $190k in relief funds help storm-hit Whangaruru coast

Seventy-five tonnes of debris was trucked out via the Ōpua -Russell ferry in the Bay of Islands to Pūwera landfill near Whangārei after a weather bomb hit in January Photo / Susan Botting

More than two-thirds of the $280,000 emergency relief fund set up to help weather-hit Whangaruru coast residents has been given out.

Almost $190,000 of the joint Whangārei District Council-Government fund has been provided via 78 grants, decided on by a funding panel on Wednesday .

Whangārei District Council civil defence recovery manager Tony Phipps said 121 applications had been received to date.

Phipps said further applications were expected after a second round of drop-in recovery hubs in the storm-affected area.

The Government and other agencies are offering support in the one-stop-shop hubs.

On Wednesday , the Government said it would double its contribution, adding a second $100,000 to the emergency fund.

Whangārei District Council (WDC) has put $80,000 towards the fund.

The financial grants help individuals, whānau and businesses who have been hardest hit and exhausted all other potential support.

Up to $2000 is available for individuals and $5000 for businesses.

Seventy-five tonnes of wrecked material from Ōakura baches and surrounds was taken to the Pūwera landfill near Whangārei via the Ōpua-Russell ferry. Photo / Susan Botting

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the impact of the weather event had been significant.

The extra government funding would help the council tackle the most immediate areas of need in the community while broader storm recovery efforts were underway.

Work has started on clearing the 100,000 tonne-plus slip on Helena Bay hill that’s blocking the main southern access into the route.

It is expected to take several months.

Convoy vehicle access via the Kaiikanui Rd detour is available.

Almost 75 tonnes of storm-wrecked household debris were trucked out of Ōakura after the January 18 weather bomb.

Wrecked household debris was collected over three weeks from January 19 in giant skips provided by Whangārei District Council Civil Defence.

Trucks taking the giant community skips away were forced to transport them via the northern access out of the affected coast.

The route, via the Ōpua-Russell car ferry in the Bay of Islands, was roughly 140km, instead of 80km via Helena Bay hill.

More than 20 giant steel skips of soaked, broken and clay-covered debris were trucked away from the settlement.

Damaged household debris was trucked to the Pūwera landfill via the Ōpua-Russell ferry. Photo / Susan Botting

A crew of locals also worked over Waitangi weekend to clear wood debris and driftwood at Ōakura beach.

Through social media, members of the community collected the driftwood into piles along the length of the beach’s waterfront.

Ōakura resident Rose Berens was among those who then helped collect up the wood debris and driftwood piles from the foreshore.

She lives in an area that was badly flood-hit, but said she was lucky with her property being a little higher than some, so was not as badly affected as others around her.

“We wanted to do our part to help clean up the mess.”

Six trailer loads of wood and a full 4WD that towed them were taken to the Ōakura transfer station.

Large quantities of clay, silt and debris were also removed from around slip and flood-affected houses.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.