Cyclone Gabrielle: Search and rescue teams scour kilometres of Napier coastline

Search and rescue teams have been scouring the kilometres of slash and debris washed up on Napier’s coastline for as far as the eye can see.

Surf live-saving crews have also been conducting grid searches in the sea looking for bodies.

Local man Kristi Drain could be seen sifting through the debris for plastic and nails sticking out of crushed apple crates.

“I’m constantly picking up the same industrial waste ... I don’t want it in the ocean.”

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There were also rotting apples and onions and a dead sheep, Drain said.

“I’m hoping not to find bodies but that was one of the reasons I came out yesterday as well because the search and rescue squad came through it the day before yesterday and then another two guys came through yesterday.

“There are a lot of people missing, we could come across people yet amongst this.”

Drain’s wife is a surf lifeguard, as is he, and she was out with teams yesterday conducting grid searches in the ocean looking for bodies, he said.

Kristi Drain collecting rubbish among the sea of slash washed onto the Napier foreshore during Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Mark Mitchell

He struggled to find words to describe the extent of the debris washed up.

“The volume of it is so big and it is as far as we can see in both directions.

“So, the stretch we’re on is probably about 12km at 30m wide - whatever volume that equals. We know that there is the same going beyond from Westshore beach for another 12 to 15km north and probably beyond that as well.

“Everywhere where a river comes out, which there is a huge amount of rivers coming into this area, they’ve all got the same problem.”

The human toll from Cyclone Gabrielle has risen to 10.

This morning police confirmed the death of a person at their home in Onekawa on Thursday. The person was believed to have died in circumstances related to the cyclone.

The death was referred to the Coroner and further details would be provided once they became available.

There are 5608 registered uncontactable people and 1196 reports from people registering that they are safe. Police are particularly concerned for around 10 of those uncontactable, deputy police commissioner Glenn Dunbier said in a Beehive briefing.