Rising floodwaters near Motueka swept away the family's tiny home and stole everything they had within a matter of seconds, including their children’s teddies.
A young family watched helplessly as raging floodwaters destroyed their tiny home, sweeping away everything they had in seconds, including their children’s teddies.
The family moved to New Zealand from Australia about six months before Friday night’s devastating flood that shifted their home 400m in Ngātīmoti near Motueka.
“Watching everything my husband has worked hard for to provide for us, just to get taken away in seconds is a pain I can’t describe,” the family said on Givealittle.
A young family watched as the rising floodwaters stole everything they had in seconds.
Blue Malosso, 24, Jayden Malosso, 23 and their two children, 2-year-old Shelby and Zeeland, who is soon to turn one, evacuated their home with just the clothes on their backs.
Blue Malsosso told Herald NOW’s Ryan Bridge: “It [the tiny home] flew 400m from where it originally was onto a neighbour’s paddock and into orchards.
“It was very scary, there wasn’t really a lot of warning, otherwise, a lot of people would have been a lot more prepared.
“You never think it’s going to happen to you, so it’s just complete devastation and shock when you come back to see that’s everything you’ve worked for, just into pieces.
“You go through all the emotions, shock, grief, there’s just no words for it.”
The incident followed several days of torrential rain and widespread flooding and evacuations last week.
“We watched as the river got higher and higher and eventually came and took everything we own.
“Our house, our clothes, our furniture, our appliances, the kids’ clothes, toys, absolutely everything,” Malosso said in a Givealittle post.
Aerial photos show extensive flooding in Riwaka, near Motueka. Photo / James Thomas
“Not to mention things we’ve lost that we will never be able to replace again.
“We are broken and don’t even know what to do or where to start - all I know is we need help.”
The family did not have time to grab nappies, formula or any of the special things that their children used to sleep with at night, Malosso said in the post.
The family did not have time to grab nappies, formula or any of the special things that their children slept with at night
“My toddler won’t stop asking to take her home or about her special bears that’s she’s had with since birth, and right now I can’t even hold myself together.”
Malosso’s close friend Ashleigh Spratt told the Herald the family were in a tiny home on Blue’s parents’ property, which also got washed out in the storm.
“They watched the tiny home float away.
“Imagine your life savings and everything you worked hard for just float away, and she didn’t have time to grab a bag.
