Napier floods: 16 homes deemed uninhabitable, residents evacuated



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Marewa resident Sandy Hunter’s home is surrounded by water. Photo / Supplied

At least 16 homes in Napier have been deemed uninhabitable, while those in their homes may face another night in the dark, after a monstrous flood hit Hawke’s Bay last night.

New Zealand Fire and Emergency Area Manager Ken Cooper said 106 Napier properties were assessed and residents were evacuated from those deemed uninhabitable.

“Crews continue to move through the impacted areas of Napier this afternoon – Napier Hill and the suburbs of Maraenui, Marewa and Pirimai. Damage to structures ranges from minor to, in some cases, severe,” he said.

Some residents could face another night in the dark as crews from the Unison lines company push to restore power to the 840 homes desperately waiting to get back online as of noon today.

The monstrous rain dumped 463 percent of Napier’s monthly rains on the city in just a few hours.

It is not yet known how much the damage will cost to insurance companies. AA Insurance says it has already handled about 100 home claims and 50 auto claims.

Dramatic stories of survival have emerged after the flood. One woman was bruised and shaken, but alive after her partner pulled her out of the mud up to her neck.

Paul Matthews of Main St said he pulled his partner out of the rubble after the back of their home was “destroyed” during a skid around 6:30 pm yesterday.

Matthews said his street was like a “river” during the torrential downpour, and his house was full of mud.

Another neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said several locals rushed to help the buried woman.

“There was a loud crash when an old tree fell. All the neighbors rushed to help and found the woman in the mud up to her neck.”

Meanwhile, Chris Dale, a resident of Hospital Hill, literally lives on the edge.

A piece of his backyard the size of a tennis court disappeared in a slip last night, Hawke’s Bay Today said.

Built in 1929, the two-story bungalow that survived the 1931 Napier earthquake was dangerously close to the edge of a large muddy shore.

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Mayor Kirsten Wise said in an update today that it is unclear how long the state of emergency will remain.

“A part of that is that we do not know with complete confidence what it can bring tonight. We will review it daily.”

There have been widespread flooding, slipping and evacuation after 100mm of rain fell between 12pm and 8pm last night.

Various agencies continue to assess the damage this afternoon, including Civil Defense, Urban Fire and Emergency Search and Rescue, the Red Cross and Napier City Council.

Some schools that closed today are preparing to reopen tomorrow, including Porritt Primary and Tamatea Primary, according to Facebook announcements.

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