Quakes add to flood misery in Edgecumbe

By RENEE KIRIONA in Edgecumbe

Shaky ground in Edgecumbe brought back nightmares for residents yesterday and came as a cruel second blow as they watched part of their town drown in water.

For many, the tremors were a reminder of the earthquake that hit the small Bay of Plenty town in 1987, turning it inside out and causing $300m of damage.

Lynne Cooper said the series of minor earthquakes brought the spirits of her family and friends down even more when they began at about 1pm.

"At least with the flood you can see it coming but those dam earthquakes just can't be predicted.

"The spirits of my family and friends were OK up until they hit."

Last night the Awakeri Events Centre, 15 kms north east of Edgecumbe, became the home of more than 50 people who were forced to flee from their homes.

The welfare coordinator at the centre, Viv Barr, said the earthquakes only added to the stress most of them were experiencing.

"Everything went silent when those quakes hit and with the roof of the centre being a suspended one, the feeling among them was even worse.

"They [the quakes] even triggered an asthma attack in one of the ladies here who has since been taken to hospital."

About 100 residents on the eastern side of the Rangitaiki River, which runs through the town, were evacuated in the early hours of yesterday morning and sent to the town hall.

About three hours later, when the hall began to flood, they were moved yet again by Army trucks to Awakeri and Rangitihi Marae in Matataa.

Delwyn Hastie, her husband and three children only had five minutes to gather vital belongings when three Army officers arrived at their doorstep.

"It must have been 5am when they came. The first thing I did was get hold of our family photos.

"When I walked outside the water was up to my knees and at 8am I heard our cars were under water," she said.

While scared about what she would find after the water had subsided, Mrs Hastie was more concerned about the tremors.

"At the moment I just want the shaking to stop."

According to the town's fire service the floods in Edgecumbe were caused by the stock banks in Te Teko, further up the river, collapsing.

For more than six hours, nine trucks - each able to hold 16 cubic metres of dirt - were used to secure the Trans Power Hydro Sub Station which supplies power to eastern Bay of Plenty.

The station, on the eastern side of the river, was finally secured at about 7pm last night.

Brian East, who has lived in Edgecumbe since 1964, said the community was well known for coming together in times of trouble.

"We did it with the earthquake and the floods of the 1970s and we will do it again. We're a small town but we look after each other."

Long-time resident Whaiora Puutu-Brown took in 20 of her relatives who had been evacuated from their homes.

"My whanau are at my place but even if there was a stranger needing somewhere to stay I would open my doors."

The western side of Edgecumbe was on stand-by last night.