Manaaki Matakaoa team in Te Araroa unloading helicopter delivery. Left to right: Michaella Houkamau, Sheena Luke, Cecelia Kamizona, Ara Ariki Houkamau. Photo: Supplied
Over $170,000 of desperately needed money has been raised for whanau in parts of the flood ravaged East Cape of the North Island.
But chair of Manaaki Matakāoa, Tina Ngata said residents were in for a "long slog" when the initial response died down and the community was left to ready themselves for the next bout of heavy weather.
Community 'overwhelmed' by response
Ngata said the Matakāoa community had been "overwhelmed" by the generous response to the devastating flooding and landslips.
She said - in the week following the storms - nearly $75,000 had been put towards the community's immediate needs.
"Supporting people to get home, medical evacuations, people who are separated from their animals, families who are separated from each other, food drops, power resources, tank refills - people have had their water lines disrupted. There's a lot of immediate investment needed," Ngata said.
Ngata said nearly every one of the 350 households in the stretch from Pōtikirua through to Kiwinui Hill had been affected in some way by the storms.
She said the funding was important but - at the early stage of the recovery - the "people on the ground" putting in long hours cleaning, organising and volunteering their help were hugely appreciated by the community.
Steven Woods from Motu Helicopters loading up essential supplies from Opotiki to be delivered to Te Araroa. Photo: Supplied
"There are so many people who are showing up voluntarily with shovels, with wheel barrows and those for us are absolute heroes. Even when the army has shown up - it's given some of our people a great rest - but I'm still seeing a lot of our people working past one o'clock in the morning.
"We're really thankful for all of New Zealand for every single donation - so that we can support these families - but also support the people who are supporting our families. We really want them to be recognised, the people on the ground."
'Blown away' by community support
Further south in Tolaga Bay - a community that was no stranger to the impact of extreme weather - locals raised just over $56,000 in a single market day to put towards the Manaaki Matakāoa relief fund.
Tolaga Bay teacher Shanan Gray said donated goods and items were auctioned and raffled off while local artists and entertainers chipped in to help create an exciting and enjoyable day.
"When we got to the final figure we were blown away. It just shows how much love, commitment and dedication that our community has [for] the rest of the communities up and down the coast," Gray said.
Denise Kamizona loading up essential supplies and resources from Raukokore to be sent over to Matakaoa. Photo: Supplied
Defence Force personnel and helicopters assist
A spokesperson for the Defence Force said over 140 personnel had been deployed about the Hicks Bay and Te Araroa areas to help with the clean up under the direction of the local Emergency Operations Centre.
"Personnel in Te Araroa and Hicks Bay have been working on a range of tasks including clearing culverts, improving drainage, removing debris and silt from properties, and felling hazardous trees.
"Air transport has been provided by Royal New Zealand Air Force NH-90 helicopters transferring water, fuel, stores such as rubbish bags, chainsaws and health equipment, as well as transporting personnel into Hicks Bay and Te Araroa. Reconnaissance has also been conducted of roads to determine access."
Difficult discussions ahead
But Tina Ngata said - once the army, Civil Defence teams, politicians and media had left - the community was in for a "long slog" as they navigated the complex problems exposed by the storms.
Kai parcels being made up and delivered to all Horoera residents. Photo: Supplied
"We know that this is not going to be the last time. We have new slips in places that have traditionally never slipped so we need a lot of geo-tech expertise around where are the safe places to put homes and more long term infrastructural support - support around roading - and economic support for our whanau as well," Ngata said.
Ngata said there were many "difficult discussions" ahead as climate change rearranged past assumptions about areas previously considered safe by generations of whanau.
"Funding or no funding we're going to do what we need to do - as a community - but it's going to be a long slog and it's going to be very expensive. Because it's not just about that first cash injection. The impacts and the problems are very complex," Ngata said.
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