Recovery continues for flood affected coastal residents

Homes, water and sewerage:

Recovery work continues for coastal Hawke’s Bay residents affected by last week’s flooding.

One of the key priorities is to allow people to move back into their homes as soon as possible and teams of building inspectors are moving through the affected areas reinspecting homes and removing red stickers, where identified issues have been addressed.

At 10am on Monday 2nd May there were 66 homes in Waimarama and 50 in Te Awanga which had identified issues.

The two camping grounds (Te Awanga and Clifton) cannot be occupied in the interests of public safety, due to waste water issues. Slips have also been identified as an issue at the Clifton camp.

A section of sea wall at Waimarama has been breached by the flooding and the Hastings District Council is working with the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council works group to address the restoration of the sea wall, as a matter of priority.

The boil water notice remains in force in Waimarama, even though service has been restored to all homes connected to the Council water supply. The water system will continue to be flushed today and regularly tested. It is expected to be Wednesday or Thursday at the earliest before the boil water notice can possibly be lifted.

External storm water is being checked by contractors and issues remedied where possible. Residents are responsible for and must clear the drains on their properties, to ensure that any further rainfall does not worsen the effects of flooding.

Road Updates:

Ocean Beach Road remains closed. All the debris created by the slips has been removed but there is a layer of silt on the road that is making it too slippery for vehicles. The silt needs to be washed away and the road will remain closed in the immediate future. There are four houses currently occupied at Ocean Beach. Those residents have been given essential supplies and indicated they are comfortable with no immediate issues or needs.

The last 500 metres of Te Apiti Road remains closed after the road was washed away. No residents are affected and the road surface will be repaired this afternoon.

The last four houses on Waitangi Road can’t be reached by vehicle at the present time, however it is expected that this will be completed today.

A digger and truck worked all weekend in Gillies Cres, Waimarama to remove silt and debris from entranceways which has piled up as a result of the flooding. Silt removal was further assisted by labour supplied by the Community Probation Service.

Hygiene: Residents are reminded that floodwaters can be polluted so all items in contact with water should be treated with caution. Personal hygiene, especially hand washing, is very important to prevent the spread of disease.

Helpdesk at Waimarama Fire Station: A help desk has been established at the Waimarama Fire Station. This will be staffed by Civil Defence representatives from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week. They are there to provide information and to answer any queries you may have.