Wha¯nau horror at submerged grave
A man’s fear of drowning in life has become reality in death after recent heavy rain left his grave site slumped and underwater.
James Emery’s dying wish after a long battle with emphysema and prostate cancer was to be buried in Feilding Cemetery across from his brother, where his family could easily visit him.
But three days after the 64-yearold’s burial, his daughter Jacqueline Emery, 41, was shocked to find his grave was flooded from a drain that gushed from a nearby grave after heavy rain two weeks ago.
‘‘He used to say he felt like he was drowning and to see after he died that his grave was underwater is traumatic.’’
His wha¯nau were relieved when he died and his suffering had ended, Jacqueline Emery said, but the flooding had brought a new level of heartache.
‘‘We laid our dad to rest. We haven’t even had time to grieve. If we built a house and it was on a spring the council would be on my back.’’
Jacqueline Emery complained to the Manawatu¯ District Council about the flooding.
It apologised and offered her the plot for half price. But it wasn’t about the money, she just wanted the problem to be fixed.
The council began working to stop the flooding and met with Jacqueline Emery on Wednesday.
A spokesman for the council said it found a drain that wasn’t on any plans, and due to significant rain the stormwater had built up and come to the surface.
‘‘Soil can be lost on fresh graves due to rainfall and it is normal practice that this is topped up when required.
‘‘New drainage is going in from this week and the uncharted drain is now being connected to the new drainage.’’
The council said other plots hadn’t been affected, however, when Jacqueline Emery visited her father’s grave others were also submerged.
It also said there was no record of previous flooding incidents, but Jacqueline Emery was told in a meeting with officials that there had been at least three in the past three years.
When she asked if other families would be contacted about the flooding and the potential risk to their loved ones’ graves she was told they didn’t need to be informed because the works were part of routine maintenance at the cemetery. But that didn’t sit right with her. ‘‘If anyone else has bought a plot there I want them to know about it.’’
The family had considered moving her father to another site. However, choosing not to be buried in their family urupa¯ was a significant decision for him and moving him to another location would cause even more pain for her wha¯nau.
‘‘Dad was sick for a long time and he chose that plot.
‘‘That was one of his last wishes, but we would have talked him out of it if we had known.’’