Risky rescue trips in flooded valley

One adult and a dog; another adult; two children; an adult and a dog and cat; and a fourth adult.

Mangamahu resident Graham Flynn made five trips in a barely functioning boat to rescue his neighbours on February 16.

He, his wife, Lisa, and three boys aged 1 to 12 live on Mangamahu Rd in the Whangaehu Valley, 45km north-east of Wanganui.

The family rent their rural house to allow Mr Flynn, a former Patea dairy farmer, to recover from a brain injury he suffered in a car accident in July 2002.

On February 15 it rained all day and the Whangaehu River burst its banks and flowed down the valley floor. By that rainy Sunday night the Flynns' electricity had already been for three days, and the phone cut out at 9.30pm.

The family went to bed and by morning the rise on which their house stood had become an island in a sea of dirty rushing water that was still rising.

"There were no paddocks and road," said Mr Flynn. "You couldn't see the fences. It was basically all around our house."

The family knew there were two houses lower down and about 200m away, but were not sure who lived in them. They began looking for a way to get there on foot, but the water was too swift.

They could hear noises, which could have been cries for help, but could not see anyone. Mr Flynn asked his son Brian, 12, to get out a telescope.

With its help he saw a corner of pink blanket on one of the roofs below.

The Flynns had a boat with an outboard motor which had been sitting outdoors unused for six months. When the motor finally started, Mr Flynn headed across the floodwater and spotted an elderly couple standing inside their house up to their necks in water.

He rescued the woman and a dog first, then went back for the man.

He then collected two children and a cat from the roof of the house next door.

On the next trip he fetched a woman, a cat and a big, black labrador dog, then another adult.

Mr Flynn had almost reached his limits when the boat was tied up.

The older couple he had rescued were flown by helicopter further down the valley to stay with friends, but the other family stayed for four days.

"We didn't know the people," said Mrs Flynn. "We didn't even know they had kids because we had kept to ourselves. We have made some friends out of it."

The Flynns' electricity was reconnected last Thursday and the road is now open.

The family are not sure if they will stay in the valley. But they will keep the boat, and will never forget the flood.

"It was a hell of an experience," Mr Flynn said.

"At the end of the day, mate, if that was me sitting over there on that roof I would want someone to get to me."

- NZPA