The severe winds caused widespread damage and thousands of power outages, downing trees, power lines and tearing roofs off buildings. Photo: RNZ / Andrew Johnstone
Rural Southland communities are banding together in the aftermath of last month's damaging winds.
The severe winds caused widespread damage and thousands of power outages, downing trees, power lines and tearing roofs off buildings.
PowerNet said outages have dropped below 2000 across Southland and South Otago after power was restored to more communities, dairy farms, cell towers and water sites over the weekend.
Rural Women NZ South Island national board member Sharron Davie-Martin said there was a long road to recovery.
One dairy farming family had lost two cow sheds, several hay barns and two staff houses, forcing them to take walk hundreds of cows long distances to be milked at other farms that had generators, she said.
But many were pitching in to help.
A house in Milton, Otago, had its roof ripped off in wild weather. Photo: RNZ/ Calvin Samuel
Rural women were taking smoko to those working to restore services as a thank you for their work, while others distributed generators, Davie-Martin said.
Rural families had the tendency to knuckle down and not ask for help as they thought others needed it more, but she hoped an incoming batch of fruit cakes from members further north might help people to open.
"That will be an excuse to go up a driveway and drop off a fruit cake and say 'how are you doing?', and it's when you get asked that you might show the cracks," she said.
"You might not go out looking for it so even though it doesn't sound like much, taking a fruit cake up the driveway, it's really important connection to help people."
Two refrigerated trucks lay on their sides after toppling on an exposed part of SH1 just outside of Balclutha. Photo: RNZ/ Calvin Samuel
An AirBNB owner told her that some people down the road had no power for five days so she and other owners had opened their accommodation up for the community.
"They hadn't been able to shower or charge their phones, just those simple little things that you don't think about when you're not in it," Davie-Martin said.
It was a chance for them to charge their phones, have a shower, cook a meal and have a break from the disaster, she said.
Rural Women NZ has an Adverse Events Relief Fund that offers financial support to rural people, families and groups who have an urgent need due to personal hardship.
It is funded by donations and the fund is open to anyone who meets the criteria.
"If you're struggling a bit as it is and this sort of thing happens, it really can tip you over financially," Davie-Martin said.
The applications could be for something as simple as putting food in the pantry, counselling, replacing freezer food that had gone off after prolonged power outages, or a group wanting to organise a community BBQ, she said.
"There is help out there if they'd like it."
A survey has been going out to farmers so they can self-assess and organisations know who may need support.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
