Man evacuated from flooded Edgecumbe to heart of Cyclone Cook in Whakatane

Danny-Boy Korepa can't seem to avoid the worst of the wet weather that has lashed the country in the past two weeks.

He was evacuated from his house in Edgecumbe after severe flooding saturated the town, and now finds himself in the thick of Cyclone Cook as it tore through Whakatane.

He told NZ Herald Focus' Tristram Clayton that he and his family were offered accommodation after arriving at an evacuation centre in Whatakane.

"It's awesome, never had help like that before and they're there for everyone, too. There's about 11 of us under one roof," he said.

"The locals here are massive, they've been helping out bringing in kai for everyone, that's one thing I buzz out on around here."

The storm had brought down trees in Whakatane, and many of those staying there, including Korepa, are without power.

"The showers are still running on hot water, and we've just come out for breakfast [to the evacuation centre]. We've been coming out here just about every day, and just meeting all the other people who are down and out like us.

"Quite a few trees are down, but nothing hit the buildings, so that's good."

He has been told his house in Edgecumbe is in the red zone, and he is hoping to be able to return there tomorrow.

"We're hoping by Saturday we can go in, we're just putting our names in to catch a ride in when we can go in."

He said he's expecting "a mess, a tragedy" when he does return home.

"We already know that we ain't got much there, because where it broke it hit our neighbours and everything was coming straight into us."

Korepa said he is uninsured, and the damage caused by the flooding will be a big hit to him and his family.

"But there's heaps of whanau out there that will come and help. We're actually all right for now."