Catastrophic Flooding in Hawkes Bay

Hawkes Bay my home region, has been smashed to bits.

Cyclone Gabrielle, a severe tropical cyclone that reached a Category 3 on February 6, 2023 threw days of heavy rain and high winds at New Zealand – many regions from Northland to the Central North Island and below were affected by flooding, washed out bridges, power outages, destroyed roads and lost homes.

And one of the regions that was severely flooded was my home. Hawkes Bay.

The flooding lasted for days.

Many areas of Hawkes Bay are now under metres of water, silt and debris. A natural disaster of epic proportions.

Cyclone Gabrielle came roaring through and, like many others, I watched from far away in horror as the worst flooding in memory took my home region apart. Literally an entire landscape changed overnight. The water roared down the rivers, broke the banks, spread outwards across the plains and then plunged into the sea.

We will discuss later the impact of a changing climate on three small islands. We can discuss later my intense and urgent mission to teach as many people as possible to live in a self sufficient and sustainable way. We must discuss later how to future proof our lives against the effects of climate change.

But for now we grieve with my people who are literally digging themselves out and and into the realisation that nothing will be the same again.

They have lost so much.

Trees that had been felled by the forestry and left on the hillsides roared down the overflowing rivers like torpedoes. Smashing the pilings from under the bridges. Too many bridges.

Homes sunmerged.

Stock and pets washed away.

Country towns cut off with no electricity and no supplies for days. And maybe weeks.

The power plants were flooded and not one generator is to be had in the region. Petrol is being rationed but the supermarkets are slowly opening with generators for power.

The bridges are the real worry: – including the Esk River Bridge, Waiohiki Bridge, Puketapu Bridge, Rissington Bridge and Brookfield Bridge – all impassable. New Zealand is a land of water and rivers – we NEED the bridges. And this list does not include the myriad of small farm bridges that enable our farmers to get in and out.

It is years of work to build a bridge.

And as the waters recede even more damage is discovered.

In the words of my sister whose farmhouse was on high ground:
“ Our 4×4 is essential to get down our road as lots of slips. And a big one threatening to take the road.
Massive 15 metre hole on the road just up from us …. so might become isolated.
Fernhill Bridge is threatening to go, it’s down to one lane with single car crossings.”

My eldest brother decided to stay when the airforce helicopter flew in to evacuate them. He stayed on his property to look for his animals. His wife and son were airlifted out. He was left with no way to get on or off his property unless he forded the river, which was impossible. No-one in my family had word for days.

Yesterday my little brother Tim wrote this:

“To get back (to our brother) they would need to cross the river on foot as Waipunga road north goes through to Tutira, it is really long and has heaps of bridges which presumably will be out for months as well.”

Since then the road has opened to emergency traffic so his family were able to return to the property today to find my brother digging out his workshop. To a home filled with a metre of silt. All the gardens gone. The fences gone. Animals gone. Everything washed away or buried. They have begun to dig their buildings out. The horses were saved.

(The photo above was taken by my nephew and I have not been able to reach him for permission so lets hope he does not mind).

The fruit from the orchards has been washed off and carried away and the trees buried in silt. The vineyards have been smashed to bits by debris caught in the floodwaters. And with the orchards and vineyards stripped of this years harvest many jobs are gone.

I cannot begin to talk about the lost sheep and cows.

How does one survive when your life is taken back to its bare bones. And then your job is gone too.

BREAKING NEWS: As I was writing this post my son Sam (he lives in Wellington, NZ) called to say he is taking a truck of urgently needed supplies from Wellington to The Bay for a number of families in need. Mostly in the area where we used to live. He will probably leave Wednesday. Amongst other things he will be delivering: cleaning products, diapers, school supplies, kids toys and art supplies. Mainly cleaning products as there is a massive amount of cleaning going on.

He will get in touch with our school and see what they need too.

I am donating money for seeds and childrens art supplies because you know how I am!

My family would like to offer you the chance to join this mission, we would be grateful if you could donate whatever you can through the PAYPAL donation button at the base of the Kitchens Garden blog.

Many people will be joyful at the sight of these suppies. People you and I will never know will smile and send thank yous skywards when they get this little bit of help from us.

And I am grateful to report that, at last, all my family and friends are accounted for and all ok.

Poor bastards. But all good.

Take care and thank you

Cecilia

DONATE below – if you see a space for notes write Hawkes Bay FLOOD Donations.

(We are trying not to say Cyclone Gabrielle because my sisters name IS Gabrielle).

Sam is an excellent photographer and will document his journey and I will post his images as soon as our mission is complete!

Hawkes Bay Flooding Pictures from Shellie Evans, a HB photographer. Taken from her Facebook page. She has given permission for her photos to be used.