Cyclone Gabrielle destruction is evident in Esk Valley, near Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland / NZME
New pictures from Hawke's Bay's Esk Valley show the horrifying toll Cyclone Gabrielle wreaked on the region.
Hawke's Bay Today photographer Warren Buckland's photos show homes along Shaw Rd, off State Highway 5, near the Esk awa north of Napier, completely destroyed.
Raging flood waters flipped this car upside down at a house in Shaw Rd, in Napier's Esk Valley. Photo / Warren Buckland / NZME
The pictures show floodwaters were so strong they overturned cars and threw trees through houses. Homes are several feet deep in mud and silt.
Silt piled against Hukarere Girls' College in Eskdale. Photo / Warren Buckland / NZME
Large parts of the arterial Napier-Taupo Road have vanished and power lines are buckled or missing in places.
Silt surrounds a home in Esk Valley, near Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland / NZME
Māori Girls' boarding College Hukarere has silt lines showing floodwaters reached halfway up the buildings.
Destruction to SH5 in Esk Valley. Photo / Warren Buckland / NZME
The body of a young child was discovered in the valley last night, while the body of an adult was discovered on the beach downstream from the Esk awa. Many more people are missing according to police.
National Emergency Management Agency advice:
- Put safety first. Don't take any chances. Act quickly if you see rising water. Floods and flash floods can happen quickly. If you see rising water do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
- Do not try to walk, play, swim, or drive in floodwater: even water just 15 centimetres deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles.
- If you have evacuated, please stay where you are until you are given the all-clear to go home.
- If you don't need to evacuate, support those who do by staying home, staying off roads and staying safe.
- If you are not able to contact your whānau in the heavily affected areas go to Police 105 website and complete the inquiry form, calling the 105 call centre can result in lengthy delays.
- Remember to update police if you reconnect through other means.
- Throw away food and drinking water that has come into contact with floodwater as it is often contaminated and can make you sick.
- If you are without power eat the food from your fridge first, then your freezer. Then eat the food in the cupboard or your emergency kit.
- People should stay up to date with the forecasts from MetService and continue to follow the advice of civil defence and emergency services.
A National State of Emergency is in place for an initial period of seven days and applies to regions that have declared a local State of Emergency.
