Cyclone Gabrielle: Families search for news on isolated East Coast farmers

Water rose rapidly at the orchard in Twyford, where RSE workers live and are employed. Photo / Supplied / John Evans

By Sally Wenley of RNZ

As Cyclone Gabrielle moves away from New Zealand, thousands on the East Coast are left dealing with the aftermath that is causing anguish and logistical problems.

Isolated communities without power or cell phone towers are stuck with no form of communication, leaving their friends and family worried.

However late Wednesday, Ed Train in Hawke’s Bay was relieved to get a call from his family who are inaccessible on their Puketapu farm.

“My mum, my two younger brothers and my grandma who lives right next door. I just contacted them now since Monday, thanks to their neighbour who had a generator and Wi-Fi.

“They are doing okay and I’m just happy that they’re safe.”

Train was keen to help clear slips and repair fences back on his family’s farm, but options to get there were limited.

“All the bridges have been taken out and they are fully isolated. The only way to get there would be by helicopter.”

Humphrey Bailey from Wairoa still had no idea how his farm, staff and stock were doing.

Last week, he took his daughter down to Christchurch to start university but the extreme weather kicked in, cancelling all flights north.

“My flights were turned back on Monday, Tuesday and then Wednesday to Napier,” Bailey said.

“I hope to be able to fly on Thursday but the bridges to Wairoa are down, so it’s unlikely I will get back there very easily.”

Bailey said he had been offered a seat on a small plane from Napier to Wairoa but in the meantime, the state of his farm remained a mystery.

“I couldn’t get any phone calls through to anyone. I’m expecting a large amount of flooding and slipping no doubt. But really I’m so unsure.”

John Evans has a low-lying orchard in Twyford. Photo / Supplied / John Evans

Meanwhile, for thousands of people in Hawke’s Bay, the extent of the damage was starting to sink in.

John Evans has a low-lying orchard in Twyford and compared watching the water rise with watching a really bad movie.

“We started to see water heading to us and going uphill literally - and coming at quite a pace and quite a volume,” Evans said.

“The immediate focus was to get people out and up to higher ground.”

It was scary and there was no power or phone communication, Evans said.

He has a team of Pacific RSE workers on his orchard and said everyone made it to safety.

“We have some guys from Samoa, Fiji and the Solomons working for us and living on site, so we all evacuated and now everyone’s cleaning up.”

Despite the flooding, mud and debris trail that was in his house and orchard, Evans said his family was doing well and the situation was a lot worse for many other people in the region.

Read More

• Cyclone Gabrielle: Rabobank offers support for farmers
• Cyclone Gabrielle donations and fundraising: How you can help in storm’s aftermath
• Cyclone Gabrielle: Rural chaos with crops ruined and farms dumping milk as fresh evacuation call goes out in Dargaville
• Cyclone Gabrielle: Forestry slash causes floodwaters property again

National Emergency Management Agency advice

• Put safety first. Don’t take any chances. Act quickly if you see rising water. Floods and flash floods can happen quickly. If you see rising water do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
• Do not try to walk, play, swim, or drive in floodwater: even water just 15 centimetres deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles.
• If you have evacuated, please stay where you are until you are given the all-clear to go home.
• If you don’t need to evacuate, support those who do by staying home, staying off the roads and staying safe.
• If you are not able to contact your whānau in the heavily affected areas go to Police 105 website and complete the inquiry form or phone 105 and remember to update if you reconnect through other means.
• Throw away food and drinking water that has come into contact with floodwater as it is often contaminated and can make you sick.
• If you are without power eat the food from your fridge first, then your freezer. Then eat the food in the cupboard or your emergency kit.
• People should stay up to date with the forecasts from MetService and continue to follow the advice of civil defence and emergency services.
• A National State of Emergency is in place for an initial period of seven days and applies to regions that have declared a local State of Emergency.

- RNZ