The couple said they were prepared for the weather that hit the top of the South Island last week, but the rain came thick and fast. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ
From State Highway 60, Pouesi and Hillary Fitisemanu's Riwaka home was completely surrounded by water this weekend.
The couple live next to the Motueka River and Pouesi Fitisemanu said they were prepared for the weather that hit the top of the South Island last week, but the rain came thick and fast.
"First thing Friday morning, it was all hands on deck, [there was] more water than I wanted to see, Fitisemanu said.
The Tasman District remains under a state of emergency, while officials work to determine the full scale of the damage, which has seen extensive flooding across valleys in Motueka, Tapawera, Tadmor and Wai-iti.
The Fitisemanu's land, near the Motueka Bridge, is a park over property for New Zealand Motor Caravan Association members and the couple had five motorhomes staying on Thursday night, who awoke on Friday to find it lapping underneath their vehicles.
"We had a couple of hours to move people off safely, and we'd already moved the animals the day before."
He had moved his four sheep and two cows to higher ground on Thursday Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ
They were able to relocate all but one couple, whose bus had a flat battery and have since been staying with them.
"We're sort of landlocked at the moment, vehicle-wise, we've got access up through the neighbours and we can walk out there."
He had moved his four sheep and two cows to higher ground on Thursday, but the deluge meant there was no dry ground on their property until floodwaters receded.
"There's no grass left for the animals, but we've moved them to as high a ground as possible and they've got feed and bits and we've had lots of people offer to take the animals and look after them while we get things sorted."
The couple have lived next to the river for 14 years and this was the fifth flood they had experienced and it was the worst, Fitisemanu said.
A few of their vehicles were flood damaged, but their house was unscathed.
The couple's Riwaka home surrounded by floodwaters. Photo: Supplied / Pouesi and Hillary Fitisemanu
"The house is built up high and I felt quite confident that we weren't going to get water inside it, that is probably one thing I can think the council for, they required us to build a certain level and it's paid off."
He had used pallets to make a raft for his sheep to stand on so they were not in the water, and when the water levels dropped, would relocate them elsewhere to graze, as there would be a lack of feed.
"We've got plenty of water and milk and supplies in the cupboard and [this is a] two-storey place, so we had a safety zone to go to if we needed to," he said.
The scale of the clean up would not be known until the water subsided, but their paddocks would be covered in silt, with fences washed out and there would be a bit of a clean up to do, Fitisemanu said.
"There's nothing you can do about it. It's just something you've got to deal with and keep a positive attitude."
A few of their vehicles were flood damaged, but their house was unscathed. Photo: Supplied / Pouesi and Hillary Fitisemanu
'Yellow or red stickers'
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence group controller Alec Louverdis said on Sunday that teams were working to assess houses in the worst affected areas and there were two yellow stickered properties, one in Nelson and one in Tasman.
Assessments had been completed in Tapawera, Riwaka, the Motueka Valley and Brightwater, with assessments still to take place in Moutere, North Wakefield and Ngatimoti.
"We're still anticipating that there will be some either yellow or red stickers."
State Highway 6 remained closed between Kohatu and Kawatiri and Louverdis said there were 47 local road closures.
Tasman Deputy Mayor Stuart Bryant said the rural community had been extensively affected by the flooding, with many in Motupiko and the Upper Motueka Valley dealing with a repeat of the floods in 2021/2022.
"There will be a lot of heartache as they repair fences and flood damage."
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced that the Mayoral Relief Fund had been opened, with $100,000 in it to start, to help residents to access funds to deal with issues in the immediate term.
Mitchell said the council had been proactive in declaring a state of emergency, early.
"That is absolutely the right thing to do, we are a country that is going to continue to face weather events. What's happening with these weather events is that they can be more severe and they can change suddenly ... we'll continue to work together to identify what we need to do in the medium to long term with the recovery."
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