Farm pair host travellers

UNDER WATER: Houses at Kauangaroa. PHOTO/CATH CRANSTONE 23062015WCSUPHOUSES1

At Kauangaroa, the Cranstones had 10 unexpected guests on Saturday night ... while low-lying houses were empty.

Cath and Mike Cranstone were listening to a civil defence radio all day in their home on high ground. At first they were told the Whangaehu River in their valley would peak at eight metres - but about 4pm the predicted peak was dramatically increased to 13m.

People raced around moving stock.

"All the stock was moved - stock mortalities are next to nothing here. People were still doing that in the dark," Mrs Cranstone said.

People in the four occupied houses in the dip by the river moved out and, with the river peaking at around 10pm, those houses were flooded. Water didn't get into the meeting house at the marae, but there was water up to its doors.

Meanwhile, three vehicles were stranded when the road closed. The Cranstones invited the 10 occupants in for the night.

"It was quite fun ... until the power went out."

One was a couple ending a long overseas honeymoon with a stop to see parents in Wanganui. Another was a man who needed to get to Wanganui to catch a flight to Canada. They managed to get him to the top of Reid's Hill on motorbikes. After that he walked, until police gave him a ride.

"Police got him out to get the flight to Auckland, and he managed to get the flight to Canada."

Now the main problem is slips and damage. "Access is going to be the main drama for everyone - the road to Kauangaroa looks like someone has ripped up carpets," Mrs Cranstone said. "The pressure has ripped up tarseal and there are big round bales of haylage."

She and her husband feel for those whose houses were flooded down in the valley.

Mr Cranstone said: "The farm is a mess, but we are some of the lucky ones that get to come home to a dry house."