Heavy rainfall caused slips around Amanda Henderson's farm in Takaka Hill. Photo / Supplied
Heavy rainfall caused slips around Amanda Henderson's farm in Takaka Hill. Photo / Supplied
Cyclone Gita battered parts of New Zealand yesterday and today many rural people are taking stock of the damage. The Country's Jamie Mackay caught up with a couple of farmers who have had two very different experiences with Cyclone Gita.
Takaka Hill sheep and beef farmer Amanda Henderson says herproperty has suffered "a few slips" after a rainfall amount of 160mls in 12 hours. Major slips mean she is also closed off from the Takaka Hill Road and stuck inside with no power "which is a bit of a worry."
Photo / Amanda Henderson
Although the rain has stopped, Henderson says she is unable to check damage to her farm due to wash outs and says it could take three days before a path can be cut for her to reach parts of the property.
Henderson has spoken to neighbours who are "much in the same boat as us," with slips and flooding hindering access to their farms.
The main worry for Henderson at the moment is tracking down a generator to keep her freezer running but she can use a fire to cook on until the power is returned.
Listen below:
Photo / Amanda Henderson
Sheep and beef farmer Will Morrison has the opposite problem in Marton saying he's had no rain at all. "I thought this cyclone was going to be fantastic for us, just what we needed, I guess in the last 48 hours we've had nothing...no rain."
However, Morrison says Marton has had more than its fair share of wind and he also had no power overnight.
"Heaps of wind, no electricity, but absolutely no rain."
It has been a challenging season in Marton says Morrison and the lack of rain is starting to take its toll, (resulting in skinnier sheep and cows) - but he remains hopeful.
"Something magical will happen. It usually does in farming."
