NZ Herald readers share footage from their sever weather experiences in Auckland. Video / Supplied
A 3-year-old boy was rescued by lifeguards as he slept on a floating couch inside a home in Kumeu overnight.
Three people are dead, and another unaccounted for with wild weather and heavy rain causing widespread damage across Auckland, with flooding, evacuations, and transport chaos.
Muriwai Lifeguard SAR squad leadGlenn Gowthorpe said the volunteer brigade and two other brigades were called to Ararimu Valley Rd about 10pm on Friday to help five members of an extended family.
“When we got there the rain had eased, the wind had calmed down but the water was still rising hence there was some urgency in getting them out.”
About 24 people were assisting, including firefighters, police, St John and lifeguards.
Six people were rescued on Ararimu Valley Rd overnight. Photo / Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Search and Rescue squad.
After a “thorough risk assessment”, two boats made their way 200m up the flooded driveway navigating drooping power and telephone lines, as well as stricken trees. Locals had tried to rescue the family but failed when their boat capsized.
The home was “completely flooded” and lifeguards were unable to access the doors because of the water pressure. They managed to get in a window, locate all five members and get them to waiting boats.
“The water level in the house was sort of chest-deep and there was a poor little 3-year-old kid, quite a heart-wrenching picture really, sleeping on a couch.
“The couch was floating in the water and the lifeguards had to help this little boy out the window into the boat and back to safety where St John and Fenz and other lifeguards were.”
The crew said the scene at an 80-year-old woman's flooded home was like a “disaster movie”. Photo / Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Search and Rescue squad.
“Not at one stage did the kid wake up. He kind of opened his eyes, looked up, and then closed them, and carried on sleeping ... That pulled at the lifeguards’ heartstrings a little bit.”
Shortly afterwards the team received reports of concerns for an 80-year-old woman who had not been heard from for over an hour.
Gowthorpe said the crew reported the scene was like a “disaster movie”.
“You couldn’t read about it. They pulled their Inflatable rescue boat up to the house. They were level with the roof of the first floor, grabbed hold of the guttering on the house to hold on next to the house while lifeguards clambered on the roof, found a window, went into the house, and found the lady waist-deep in water.”
They then carried her out of the window, leaving behind all her belongings as well as her cats. Gowthorpe said the crew tried to keep it “light-hearted”.
“They asked her when was the last time she snuck out the bedroom window on the second floor of her house ...”
Gowthorpe said the woman had not realised the gravity of the situation.
“She figured she was on the second floor and was going to be okay. But the waters were still rising, there were trees becoming unstable ... we definitely saved these people.”
