A family of seven were trapped on the rooftop of their home near Te Araroa for hours. VIdeo / Roderick Cooper and Huia Ngatai via Gisborne District Council
A fundraiser for the East Coast whānau who spent hours trapped on their roof amid flooding, debris and heavy rain this week raised nearly $22,000 in 22 hours.
Huia Ngatai shared the story of how her family of seven climbed on to the roof of their Punaruku home near TeAraroa as floodwaters overwhelmed their property during the weather bomb that hammered the region Wednesday night and into the early hours of Thursday morning.
A Givealittle page set up yesterday for the whānau had raised $21,885 as of 3pm.
Page creator Mary-jane Waitoa, a cousin of the whānau, wrote that they were “devastated but lucky to be alive“.
“Their home at Punaruku is at the foothills of Pukeamaru Maunga across the road from the Te Araroa motor camp, as you head over [the] hill to Hicks Bay,” the page reads.
“Even though Bully, Huia and their tamariki were well-prepared and set to move, a rapid surge from behind caused a flash flood and nothing prepared them for what was about to unfold!”
She said the parents secured the safety of their five children, the youngest of whom was 3, as they got on to the roof in the heavy rain.
“This whānau has lost absolutely everything - home, contents and vehicles - and are very lucky to be still with us. Any support, no matter how little, will be greatly appreciated!”
Over $21,000 has been raised for the Ngatai-Cooper whānau in less than 24 hours after they were trapped on their roof in severe weather. Photo / Supplied
Huia Ngatai told the Gisborne Herald on Wednesday that she had noticed around 2am on Thursday that the water was at a level near the bridge at the edge of the property that “didn’t feel right” despite never having had flooding issues before.
She and her partner planned to evacuate with their children, but “within about five minutes“ they saw their vehicles begin to float in the driveway.
“Everything happened so fast. We realised straightaway it was too late.”
A wall of water rushed toward the family, which the mother described as a “tsunami”, and they were forced to climb on to the roof.
“It was absolutely terrifying. My children were screaming and crying, and we were all in shock.”
As they moved toward the highest point, the deck roof suddenly collapsed.
“By that point, the water had risen within seconds to the bottom of the roof, rushing down both sides of the house. We could feel the house moving and creaking underneath us.”
Ngatai described the noise as “unreal”, with boulders crashing like thunder, trees breaking and non-stop heavy rain.
Emergency services were unable to reach the family for hours as it was too dangerous for a ground approach with the river as high as it was.
Ngatai credited a pūriri tree behind the house with helping to save them, as it helped to divert floodwater around it.
