Nearly $50,000 raised for Edgecumbe as town counts cost three weeks later

Sixteen homes in Edgecumbe have been destroyed by the flood which swamped the Bay of Plenty town earlier this month, but at least $47,000 has already been raised to help the town recover.

Three weeks on from the day the Rangitaiki River burst its banks, a total of 555 homes in Edgecumbe and surrounding areas have been assessed by Whakatane District Council. Of these, 257 have been 'white stickered', 282 have been 'yellow stickered' and 16 'red stickered'.

Spray painted messages of 'No go' mark those red-stickered homes deemed not fit for living in by Whakatane District Council. Piles of contaminated possessions sit on the silt-covered streets for collection as residents try to sort through their properties but people still wave out and smile.

Council public affairs manager Ross Boreham said while the red-stickered homes were classed as uninhabitable, yellow stickered homes could be restored. Those properties suffered damage but could still be saved and residents could enter the houses, provided they were escorted. By comparison, white stickered-homes were lucky - not suffering from any major flood damage.

Mr Boreham said there were still inspections in remote areas to be completed, but most homes had now been seen, and the flood response from the council had begun a 'recovery phase'.

Already $47,000 has been raised through the Mayoral Relief Fund, including a $10,000 donation from Gisborne District Council.

Whakatane mayor Tony Bonne, deputy mayor Judy Turner and independent member Colin Leonard have been appointed trustees and staff were now drafting a proposal for the trustees to review regarding criteria for applications and distribution. This will go to the council on Thursday to sign off.

Mr Boreham said clearing up waste was a significant part of the recovery team's work at the moment.

Washouts, drop outs and major slips due to both Cyclone Cook and the remnants of Cyclone Debbie were another challenge.

Kopuriki Rd, Te Whaiti Rd, Troutbeck Rd, Waikaremoana Rd on the Wairoa side, Matahi Valley Rd, Galatea Rd, and State Highway 2 at Waimana Gorge remain closed to traffic for now.

Mr Boreham said it would be a matter of months rather than weeks before life got back to normal for most residents.

"There's so much in the clean-up involved," he said.