Tasman cleans up after flooding: 'So many heartbreaking sights'

RNZ News

10 hours ago

The Nelson Tasman district remains in a state of emergency after Friday's devastating foods.
Photo:
RNZ/Samuel Rillstone
The Tasman mayor is still grappling with what area has been hit the hardest, after weeks of flooding that has caused widespread devastation in the region.
The district remains in a state of emergency after Friday's devastating floods. Tasman Mayor Tim King says he has never seen anything like this before.
"It's everywhere. I've been asked so often, where's the worst, I don't think there's a worst.
"There are just so many different impacts on different people, whether it's smaller properties, people's houses affected, larger properties that have had, you know, significant impacts on them and their businesses, farms, lifestyle blocks, now forestry companies and private forestry owners.
"So there are so many heartbreaking sights... you go up lots of these smaller valleys and you talk to people and they just devastated about the impact on whether it's their house or their property, the landscape that they kind of love and that's what they love living there.
"People just haven't seen this level of damage in most people's lifetimes, in most of the areas that have been affected. So yeah, it's very hard to pick a worst."
King said the focus this week will be reopening closed roads and rebuilding river stopbanks to ensure they can hold up for future rain.
Meanwhile, dozens of people still remain in emergency accommodation and hundreds of flood damaged properties still have to be assessed following Friday's devastating floods in Nelson-Tasman.
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence group controller James Thompson said teams assessed 400 properties on Sunday and that there were still 350 homes that need to be checked for damage, which would continue on Monday.
As of Sunday night, four homes have been red stickered and 21 yellow stickered since the first deluge.
Flooding damage in Otuwhero Valley and Sandy Bay Road near Marahau, 12 July, 2025.
Photo:
Supplied/ Jodie Reed
About 43 people remained in emergency accommodation on Sunday night and the Motueka Recreation Centre will be open today with agencies on-site for people to chat about any specific welfare needs.
Multiple schools and early childhood centres remain closed and parents are being urged to check on social media for the latest on the closures.
Confirmed closures on Monday:
Thompson said the rain over the past few weeks was something you see only once every 100 years.
"This 2025 flood, is one of the largest we've seen. It's sort of been classified as a one in 100 year flood and because it's the second time we've had it [heavy rain and flooding] and very close succession it, makes the damage even more because of the saturated conditions.
"So that's why we're seeing, you know, why so much has happened in this second flooding."
Thompson said teams will continue prioritising re-opening roads, restoring power and assessing longer-term welfare needs on Monday.
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