Nelson Tasman residents braced for another potentially devastating storm
Photo:
RNZ / Mark Papalii
Residents in the top of the South Island are under a second state of emergency in three weeks and steeling themselves for another potentially devastating storm.
Nelson Tasman is under a state of emergency, with orange rain warnings in place and areas southeast of Motueka likely to be raised to a red warning.
Flooding caused widespread damage in the region on 27 June, leaving some residents without homes to return to.
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence confirmed flooding was the
worst in the region in almost 150 years
.
Motueka Valley resident Kate Gloeggler had just adopted new three-month-old puppy Kahu, when the rain started falling two weeks ago. She decided to evacuate with her new dog, when she received a warning on her phone.
Gloeggler was now part of a flood support team checking in with people affected by the last flood.
"They're quite nervous about more rain coming, because they've just been starting to secure and kind of rebuild the things that got broken, and now there's just more on the radar.
"It's quite unsettling and nervewracking for the people here."
She said many whose homes were damaged had not recovered from the last event.
"They are still in that shock, because they know it is not over yet. It is quite full on for everyone involved, but especially for the people who are affected."
Gloeggler planned to be in Nelson with Kahu during Friday and Saturday, when the rain was due to hit.
Nelson Federated Farmers president Kerry Irvine was based in Tapawera - an area of Tasman hit hard by flooding.
Irvine told RNZ that the last flood affected both farmers and the wider public.
"It is a pretty wide event, this one, and I have to stress any more rain is not welcome."
He said farmer and the community had to prepare for the rain expected on Friday.
"Expect the worst and hope for the best."
Irvine told RNZ the rain event nearly two weeks ago was like nothing he had seen before.
"I've talked to a number of the older farmers and they had seen nothing like it."
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