As I write this, the Auckland region has been hit by once-in-a-century flooding. Over a third of Auckland’s annual average rainfall fell in just 24 hours at the start of the Anniversary Weekend. And it’s not over yet. More bad weather is forecast, with red and orange warnings issued for heavy rain.
Our Franklin district has been seriously affected, albeit not quite as badly as other areas of Auckland, but the local Facebook grapevines include harrowing images and videos of flooded fields, damaged homes, people displaced, animals left stranded, and crops ruined.
One of our families to date has been devastated by the loss of a loved one. When the news first emerged that someone was missing in Onewhero, we hoped for the best but feared the worst. A body was eventually located with the help of the local community. My sincere condolences go to the family and that close-knit community, who will all be feeling the loss.
The issues we have faced in Franklin include sewage outflows, blocked drains, and flooded streets and properties. Low-lying areas, especially close to the Waikato River, have suffered extensive flooding. One constituent contacted me to say that 90 per cent of their farm was underwater, and that local farmers had pitched in with help to truck their cattle to other farms on higher ground.
Sadly, one of our aged-care facilities was flooded out, and its vulnerable residents had to be evacuated by emergency services overnight. That event alone could have had fatal consequences, were it not for the fast-acting emergency personnel who helped rescue the elderly residents. What a terrifying ordeal that must have been for them.
I am very concerned about the apparent lack of readiness of Auckland Emergency Management regarding our Franklin district, which appears to have fallen off their radar. Our area has not been taken into account in terms of resources. While official emergency centres have been established in west, south and north Auckland, there has been none set up for the Franklin district. If it wasn’t for the efforts of our local communities, Franklin would have been left to fend for itself. My thanks to local councillor Logan Soole who managed to set up a community hub in the staff room at the Pukekohe High School for those displaced from their homes by flood waters.
Hopefully these issues will be included in the review promised by Mayor Wayne Brown.
What worries me now is that the ground is so saturated that there is nowhere for any further water to go, making the clean-up very difficult. With more heavy rain forecast, it is highly recommended that sandbags are used wherever possible and valuables are moved out of harm’s way.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the various emergency volunteer groups who have gone out of their way to help our small communities, particularly the volunteer fire brigades, emergency services, and surf lifesaving groups, who have worked tirelessly throughout the ordeal. These groups – mostly volunteers – have selflessly taken time away from their own families to help and support our wider community.
I also want to acknowledge the countless individuals who offered to help clean up roads, clear debris and drains, cut back fallen trees, and who simply made a call to a neighbour to check they were OK.
In a natural disaster such as this, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless, and that events are happening faster than you can cope with. Information is key to staying up to date with evolving situations.
Our Facebook grapevines are a great resource, often with up-to-the-minute news, but they can have conflicting accounts of what is and isn’t open in terms of roads, schools, health care providers and other infrastructure. My recommendation is to go to official sources, including the Facebook pages and websites of Civil Defence, Auckland Council (including Auckland Transport and Watercare) and Waikato District Council.
Above all, stay safe, look out for your friends, family and neighbours, and support one another. Our communities are powerful when we pull together.
Funded by Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Andrew Bayly, MP for Port Waikato, 7 Wesley Street, Pukekohe.
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Andrew Bayly is the MP for Port Waikato, the Shadow Treasurer (Revenue) and the National Party spokesperson for Infrastructure and Statictics.