Motueka Valley floods: 'Quite a few people have lost everything'
A pair of Motueka Valley residents say they are considering leaving the area after heavy rain saw the nearby river wash away peoples' possessions and flood properties.
Local Civil Defence has told residents in Nelson and Tasman to be cautious after this weekend floods.
The area is still under a local state of emergency.
In one of the worst hit areas - the Motueka Valley - residents are reflecting on the impact of the flooding.
Steve Segee and his partner Julie live in a house bus near the Motueka River
Photo:
RNZ/Mark Papalii
Steve Segee has lived next to the Motueka River for 14 years and said it had flooded three times in the past five years.
He lives in a house bus near the river with his partner Julie.
Segee said that the latest event was "really scary" and had forced them to consider moving.
Julie said the pair could just not live with the stress any longer.
Segee said the situation was quite upsetting and Julie said that it they were lucky that they still had their home.
"People have lost their homes around here, we know quite a few people who have lost everything."
Photo:
Samantha Gee
The pair estimated they had lost about $20,000 worth of items, which included e-bikes, tools, books and photos.
Segee said that the community had been amazing.
Lynda Burn told RNZ that her partner worked at a kiwifruit orchard next to the Motueka River.
Burn said water from the river overflowed onto the property - with the water so high it reached the top of the kiwifruit vine.
"I'd say this is the worst I have seen the Mot [Motueka River] since I have lived here, and that's been a while."
She said that there was a lot of timber and slash that had come from forestry taken down stream by the river.
Jim Maguire had cut down a lot of trees for firewood on his property which has since been washed away.
Photo:
RNZ/Mark Papalii
Jim Maguire said that the rain was "quite terrifying in lots of way".
Maguire said that once the heavy rain started to flow down the river, it grew in size "extremely quickly".
"It was pretty much a raging torrent at one point."
He said what scared him was how many items were washed away once the river's volume dropped.
"We have got trees that we had cut down and cut up for firewood, but that's all gone."
Maguire said he was aware of nearby residents that had lost their possessions.
Kate Gloeggler and her three-month-old puppy, Kahu.
Photo:
RNZ/Mark Papalii
Kate Gloeggler had just adopted her new three-month-old puppy, Kahu when the rain started falling.
Gloeggler said she decided to evacuate with her new dog when she received a warning on her phone.
"We just left cause I could see the water coming closer."
She said the situation was "really freaky".
"It was loud, and I just could see it rise [the river] and more helis going around."
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