Rider on the storm

Devonport Flagstaff reporter Lochlan

Lineham was driving home, after visiting a mate, but had to abandon his car as waters engulfed the vehicle

I was visiting a mate’s place in Windy Ridge on 27 January when the heavy rain began, so decided to head home to my flat in Bayswater around 5.30pm, before it got any worse.

Coming down Archers Rd in my 20-year-old Camry, I realised a full-on flood was unfolding.

I veered into Wairau Rd, following the vehicles in front of me through the water flowing just underneath my car’s undercarriage.

The stream was becoming a river, so I drove into the Pak’nSave car park to turn around and try another route.

Traffic was heavy moving through the ever-rising water and floating wine bottles.

I turned left down Sunnybrae Rd and attempted to follow the cars moving through the pool of water at the intersection with Porana Rd.

Heading through the water following the people in front of me, I veered slightly to the left to avoid debris and found myself in deeper water. The left side of my car was suddenly immersed. The engine cut out, the steering wheel stiffened. I saw water seeping onto my back seats.

I knew it was time to abandon ship. Frantically grabbing the few valuables I could hold – my wallet, a phone, a pair of shoes – I turned on my hazard lights and stepped out into the rapid-flowing water, which even on the shallower side of the car had risen to just below my knees.

A woman driving behind me was in the same situation and being helped out of her vehicle by a local car detailer.

It was mayhem. Cars were being abandoned, the water level was rising, people were scrambling for shelter, calling relatives.

It was pure chaos trying to process what was happening, while also trying to help other people and at the same time getting to safety.

The group of us taking shelter in a garage watched as Porana Rd turned into rapids.

Huge amounts of water crashed into our stranded cars at high speed.

After an hour, the Fire Service arrived, setting up roadblocks and turning motorists away from the stranded vehicles.

After around another hour, the rain eased off. I took my chance and walked up to another friend’s house further up Sunnybrae Rd, where I stayed the night.

The drama wasn’t quite over, however. Once I got home to my flat in Bayswater, I learned a sizeable section of the clifftop behind our house had fallen into the sea.

My car was eventually towed away by authorities.

While it is almost certainly a write-off, I’m left feeling I had a lucky escape.

Briefs

RSA does its bit

Devonport RSA activated a phone-tree after the 27 January floods to check on the welfare of former servicepeople. “In general, our members were okay and those who did need help were well supported by family and friends,” said Devonport RSA president Murray Kennett. The branch had donated $1000 to a District RSA support fund. This was splitting contributions between Buttabean foodbank, to provide goods for emergency centres, and to Taskforce Kiwi, which was assisting in clean-up efforts.

AT waives fines

Fines issued by Auckland Transport on ‘Flood Friday’, and the days following, are being waived. The period covered is from 2pm on 27 January until 9am on 1 February.

Schools flooded

Four classrooms and an administration area at Hauraki School were flooded, but recarpeted in time for its first day of classes on Tuesday 7 February. Principal Clarinda Franklin said the clean-up started quickly, “with the aim of being back to normal”. School rolls across the peninsula were generally similar or a little lower than in recent years, which Vauxhall School principal Gary Lawrence said reflected the numbers coming through from daycare. Vauxhall had some minor water damage in several classrooms, he said, but nothing that stopped it opening on 2 February. Takapuna Grammar School also had minor flooding in its uniform shop, in the lower main block.

Pohutukawa pruning policy needs review – MP

Auckland Council pruning policies for pohutukawa need review, says North Shore MP Simon Watts.

Having visited coastal properties in Stanley Point and elsewhere plagued by land slips, he said half a dozen property owners had told him council had denied them permission to trim trees, which could grow weighty and become a clifftop liability. “Council wasn’t letting them touch them at all.”

Just up the road from his own Belmont home – flooded twice in the deluges – the Westwell public stairs to the beach had collapsed.

“Every slip on the beach seems to have a pohutukawa on top of it,” he noted.