Two bodies found after river crossing
MORE wild weather led to two deaths and dozens evacuated from homes on Auckland’s west coast.
Two bodies were recovered after a failed attempt at a river crossing at Cascade Falls last night, two others were in Waitakare Hospital with injuries while a fifth person made it to safety with no injuries.
A group of five people were trying to cross the river when they got into trouble, police said in a statement.
About 100 people were also evacuated from their homes in Piha after a creek rose by five metres during the afternoon deluge causing a flash flood and washing water and mud through a building.
West Aucklander Courtney Walker, 24, was spending the long weekend at a bach with six friends and two dogs. When emergency services recommended they evacuate, the group opted to stay put.
‘‘There was just so much bloody work to do,’’ said Walker. ‘‘We had three cars under water, and needed to rescue our furniture.’’
She said the creek had been ‘‘nice and low and swimmable’’ that morning, but ‘‘went up dramatically’’ as the rain set in.
‘‘I actually couldn’t believe it and am still stunned,’’ she said.
Owner of Piha Beachstay on Glenesk Rd, Geoff Calvert, said the flooding had subsided there by about 7pm but the flooding was the worst he had seen in 15 years.
A group of 20 walkers in the bush on a track off Piha Rd had also called police at 5.15pm concerned they were trapped by rising river levels.