Whanganui resident's backyard falls away in landslip during heavy rain

A Durie Hill resident had part of his backyard fallaway in a landslip on Monday. Photo / Bevan Conley

A Durie Hill resident lost a large amount of his backyard in a landslide.

Neville Hudson, who is isolating with Covid-19, was alerted to the slip by his neighbour around noon on Monday.

"He rang and said his son was at the bottom of my property and I'd better go and have a look," Hudson said.

Hudson went outside to find roughly 30 per cent of his yard had fallen on to the neighbour's farm below.

The slip also destroyed the retaining wall at the back of his property and the fence on top of the wall.

It is likely the slip was caused by the high rainfall recorded across the Whanganui region over the last few days.

Neville Hudson said repairs to his yard may take a while to complete. Photo / Bevan Conley

According to MetService, in a 24-hour period between Sunday and Monday, a weather station between Whanganui and Ohakune recorded 39.5mm of rain, with 11mm of rain between just 6pm and 7pm on Sunday.

MetService also said a council weather station in the Whanganui hill country recorded 14mm of rain between 7pm and 8pm on Monday.

A weather station at Kauangaroa on the Whangaehu River recorded 9.5mm of rain between 7pm and 8pm, and 15mm over 24 hours.

Hudson said he had laid a claim with EQC which had begun its investigation, but it may take a while for it to be processed and repairs to begin on the yard.

He said EQC explained his claim would be passed on to other agents who would investigate the damage and propose ways to repair the land, with EQC deciding on the final approval of the claim at a later date.