Homes deemed uninhabitable, residents evacuated in Napier flooding

NAPIER: At least 16 homes in Napier have been deemed uninhabitable, while those in their homes were yesterday facing another night in the dark, after a huge deluge struck Hawke’s Bay on Monday night.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand area manager Ken Cooper said that 106 Napier properties had been assessed, and residents evacuated from those deemed uninhabitable.

Inspection teams continued to move through Napier’s affected areas — Napier Hill and the suburbs of Maraenui, Marewa and Pirimai — late yesterday afternoon.

Damage to structures ranged from minor to, in some cases, severe, he said.

Some residents faced another night in the dark, as lines company Unison pushed to restore power to 840 homes.

The deluge dumped 463% of Napier’s monthly rainfall over the city in just a few hours.

There was widespread flooding, slips and evacuations after 100mm of rain fell between noon and 8pm on Monday.

AA Insurance said it had already handled about 100 home claims and 50 vehicle claims.

Mayor Kirsten Wise said it was uncertain how long the state of emergency would remain in place. — The New Zealand Herald