Wellington early childhood centre contaminated by floodwaters

The school has been contaminated by the floodwaters and was no longer safe for children. Photo / RNZ, Mark Papalii

By Charlotte Cook of RNZ

A Wellington teacher has been left devastated after her early childhood education centre was flooded during Monday morning’s torrential downpours.

Lead teacher Dana McDonald arrived at South Wellington Montessori School to find waist-high waters flowing around the building.

“This is my livelihood and it’s all been taken from us,” she said.

Torrential rain from thunderstorms in Wellington before dawn on Monday caused flooding and landslips, with the city’s southern suburbs worst affected. A Wellington City Council spokesperson said it would probably take officials a few days to understand the full extent of damage.

McDonald said everything in the school had been contaminated by the floodwaters and was no longer safe for children.

The school would have to rip everything out, from carpet and furniture to walls.

“It’s all gone. We have to start again.”

McDonald said it would take months for the centre to be operational again.

In the meantime they would contact the school’s insurance, and try to find funds to rebuild.

McDonald said the school was looking for temporary premises.

“We’re waiting on the Ministry of Education to do a sign-off and to be able to have another space licence.”

McDonald said if they could not continue to support parents and children soon, they would not have a business to come back to.

She said the Montessori community had been “amazing”.

“We’ve got a lot of support coming,” she said.

– RNZ