‘Thisused tobeadriveway’
Homes are uninhabitable and cars are written off following a devastating flash flood yesterday morning, which swept through Plimmerton, north of Wellington, after a night of torrential rain.
As water raged down the hill through stormwater drains, bringing rocks, wood and other debris with it, the drains quickly blocked and the water burst its banks, carving a new path wherever it could.
In Cluny Rd, water reached 30 centimetres up the walls of roadside buildings and one resident said he could not cross the road for fear of having his feet swept out from under him.
Up to 15 homes are uninhabitable, with a further 50 affected, and State Highway 1 was closed for about two hours.
Residents are getting used to this.
One man has lived in Cluny Rd for 16 years and has witnessed three floods, all in the past six years. This was by far the worst. Knowing the inevitable damage it would cause, he opened up the main garage door, and the one at the back, and let the water cascade through. He, like many residents, blamed the blocked drains. ‘‘The council needs to do a pretty robust review of it all.’’
Rita Flaherty and her family, including a young child and a small dog, have lived in their twostorey house at the top of Cluny Rd for only a year.
Yesterday morning they watched from their upstairs living room as the culvert under their driveway became blocked, flooded their front yard, and filled their basement with a metre of water. Both their cars were entrenched wheel-deep in silt, one still flooded with water, and a powerful stream still ran across the drive. It had happened fast.
‘‘This used to be a driveway.’’ With no reception at that end of the road, and their power turned off for safety, they were effectively cut off.
If the fire service could pump out their basement and the power could be turned back on, they would be able to sleep there last night. Otherwise, they would be staying with family or friends.
MetService readings showed 86 millimetres of rain fell in the 12 hours up to 1pm on Sunday at Battle Hill, beside Paeka¯ka¯riki Hill Rd. During the same period, 50mm fell in Tawa, 67mm in Waikanae, 55mm in Porirua, 51mm in Paraparaumu, and 46mm in Levin.
Mana Island, offshore from Plimmerton, recorded 49mm.
Fire and Emergency said it got 24 triple-one calls and visited 65 flooded properties around Karehana Bay in Plimmerton.
Shift manager Chris Dalton said a mobile communications unit had been set up in Plimmerton to expedite dispatch, with four pumping fire trucks in operation. Dalton said about 15 homes in the region would likely be left uninhabitable.
‘‘The weather coincided with the high tide, so the water had nowhere to go,’’ he said.
Chief fire officer Carl Mills was at the scene. ‘‘We have never had flooding, in my 25 years here, that has hit the living heights of houses – that is a bit unexpected.’’
In nearby Airlie Rd, residents Ian and Wendy Capewell had lived in the area for more than 50 years. They had never seen flooding so high, either.
The couple were out of town yesterday morning when they got a call from their daughter.
‘‘She said ‘You better come home, the water is about to come in the house’,’’ Ian Capewell said.
By the time they got home, about midday, the sun was out but water had been through every room. Wendy Capewell lost her new garden.
Brightly coloured flowers were crushed and covered in silt, a heavy picnic bench had floated 10 metres, and a mysterious teapot had settled in a garden bed.
A welfare point was set up at the Plimmerton School Hall for those who needed food or temporary accommodation.
Porirua mayor Anita Baker said there was a shortage of accommodation, so people should stay with friends and family if possible.
‘‘You better come home, the water is about to come in the house.’’
Amessage to Wendy and Ian Capewell, above