Hawke’s Bay RSE workers stranded by flooding

Some of the workers who were stuck on the rooftop. Photo Supplied

About 50 Tongan orchard workers who were trapped by floodwaters on rooftops in Hawke’s Bay are now stranded on a hill in Fern Hill.

Tongan RSE worker liaison for Hawke’s Bay, Tevita Lata, spoke with the men before their batteries ran out.

He said they were cold and hungry but they were resilient in part because they had gone through the Tonga volcano disaster.

The latest text to RNZ from Civil Defence said they were accompanied by police while a rescue team attempted to get them off the hill.

He said talks were underway about using a helicopter because the torrent of water surrounding them was so strong they might not be accessible by boat.

Earlier, Auckland Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua said families in Tonga watched on as their relatives filmed while perched on roofs surrounded by tree tops.

He said the scenes were harrowing to watch for the families.

Earlier this afternoon he told RNZ the workers had been rescued, however, this was based on some communications that were misunderstood.

Pakilau Manase Lua said he was told the men were safe and assumed safe meant rescued, not stranded on a hill.

He believed it was a life or death situation and remained concerned.

Lua said the Aotearoa Tonga Response Group has been activated to support Pasifika community members.

Hawke’s Bay is one of six regions to have declared a local state of emergency. Just before 9am today the government declared a national state of emergency.

- RNZ