Boys die as flash flooding hits river

The two people who died after being swept away in a flash flood were both teenage boys, police have revealed.

Mitch Woolley and Sosi Turagaiviu, both 17 years old, were swept away while trying to cross a swollen river in West Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges about 5pm on Saturday.

Their bodies were recovered later that evening.

The teenagers were both West Auckland locals – Sosi was from Massey, Mitch was from Waitakere – and had been swimming at the Cascade Falls area with three other 17-year-old boys when heavy rains hit, Inspector Fata Willie Fanene said on Sunday.

The group sheltered on some rocks on one side of the river but the water continued to rise, Fanene said.

They then tried to cross to the other side, where their vehicle was parked, but Mitch, Sosi and another young man were swept away.

The remaining two got safely to the river bank, and one ran to raise the alarm at the local golf course.

‘‘He had mild hypothermia and was transported to Waitakere Hospital for treatment,’’ Fanene said.

The third young man managed to grab on to a tree on the side of the river and was winched to safety by the Auckland Westpac rescue helicopter. He was in a moderate condition. ‘‘An incident like this is an awful reminder of the power and unpredictability of our natural environment,’’ Fanene said.

The flash flooding also caused about 100 people to be evacuated from their homes in nearby Piha.

Cars were under water, and mud and debris coated the walls of houses up to waist height.

Auckland event director Colin Ennor, his partner Sergio Lopez and their two friends were caught in the flash flood and were counting themselves lucky to be unharmed.

‘‘The river looked like the Huka Falls – just crazy white water rapids and I think if anyone had walked in, they could not have survived,’’ Ennor said late on Saturday night.

MetService said the pressure system that caused the deluge had moved further north on Sunday morning.

A heavy rain watch was issued for Northland, from the Bay of Islands southwards, with predictions of up to 35 millimetres falling per hour.