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The economic effects of a 20-minute hail storm in Motueka will persist long after the initial cleanup is completed.
The region was hit by a sudden and intense hail storm on the afternoon of Boxing Day, part of a storm that hit the country, and within minutes roofs collapsed, buildings were flooded and entire fruit crops were destroyed.
The recently remodeled Hotel Motueka could not withstand the attack, with water pouring from the roof within minutes of the storm.
General manager Vincent Sibbald used billiard cues to break holes in the ceiling, hoping to relieve some pressure and prevent a total collapse.
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The restaurant and bar remained open during the storm, with one section of the building standing while the rest were flooded.
Sibbald moved the diners to the driest places and turned off the lights where water entered.
“As soon as I saw the water get on the carpet, I took out a bottle of detergent because if it was wet, I could clean it.”
However, it was not possible to save the situation, as the roof that he tried to save completely collapsed on Sunday afternoon.
He said there had been a lot of support from the community, which touched him, but asked people to think about local fruit growers.
“We are wet, but the ones I like the most are gardeners. Those guys bring a lot to this community. Our message to the community is that no matter how you do it, try to find a way to support those guys.
“They are the ones who are going to suffer from this for a long time.”
Motueka Fruit Growers Association President Richard Clarkson said the storm would have caused millions of dollars in damage to the industry, but it would take two to three weeks to fully evaluate.
“U.S [fruit growers] We only have one chance to make our money, and that’s when we collect and sell our fruit, ”he said.
“It’s devastating, that’s for sure. A minimum of 50 percent of the crop in the region has been destroyed. For some [orchardists] it’s closer to 80 to 100 percent. It would be nice to say that everyone is in a good space, but we are not. “
He said that depending on the harvest, the damage could persist into next season’s growth. He said that some kiwi orchards had new canes, the fruiting prospects for next year had been stripped, and in his own apple orchard leaves had been crushed and new sections of growth had been damaged.
He said the random nature of the storm meant that there were sections of the road where orchards on one side were completely destroyed, while on the other there were no signs of a storm having passed.
Johny O’Donnell of Project Kōkiri, Nelson Tasman’s combined Covid-19 regional economic recovery project, said he had been consulting with horticulturists in the region on Sunday.
He said it was difficult to give an overview of the region as the storm had hit properties seemingly randomly, leaving some badly damaged and others seemingly completely unscathed, and that for many it would take at least a week to assess the damage. .
“Our heart goes out to the producers, it has been a challenging year for all of us and they have helped us overcome it,” he said.
“I don’t want to group them all together, but those we have heard about have definitely been affected, and on the more serious end of the scale.
“Certainly what we have heard is that Moutere, Motueka and Riwaka are quite devastated.”
He said this, coming to the end of a “really challenging year economically” and just before “what was going to be a great harvest”, was a blow to the region.
“It shows why we can’t be complacent,” he said.
Motueka Community Board Chairman Brent Maru said he was “born and raised” in Motueka and has never seen anything like the hail storm that hit the region on Boxing Day.
“That intensity and duration, I have never seen anything like it. It was surreal, ”he said.
Maru said seeing stories from those seriously affected, like the Pomeroys of Victoria Gardens Fruit and Vege, was “just heartbreaking”, but the community would come together to move forward.
“The offer of help from our community to affected people is strong,” he said.
“Goodbye 2020, I say.”