A truck removes belongings discarded on the roadside in Te Karaka this week. Photo / Rebecca Grunwell/Gisborne Herald
Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy reporter
A newly formed Civil Defence team working long hours to support affected whānau in Te Karaka are staying positive despite seemingly endless need in their community.
Waikohu Civil Defence is based out of Te Karaka Area School, serving an area that was particularly hard hit by Cyclone Gabrielle.
The only confirmed death in Tairāwhiti so far, that of 64-year-old John Coates, occurred in the township of 500.
Takipū Marae on the outskirts of Te Karaka was also badly affected by the floodwater.
Waikohu Civil Defence public information manager Nicky-Marie Kohere-Smiler said she was holding it together for now, but finding out about what had happened to the marae was “one of the biggest blows”.
”I kind of suppress all of that for now, and then when it’s all over, I’ll have a cry and a big kai.”
For Kohere-Smiler, days begin at 8am with a team meeting before her crew addresses the community at 9am with any updates from overnight.
Throughout the day, her and a group of around 20 volunteers redistribute supplies and make sure the basic needs of the community are met.
All goods have been donated and Kohere-Smiler says her team has been overwhelmed by the generosity of contributions from as far afield as Hāwera and Northland.
The days are long and there aren’t many breaks.”Last night I was still answering messages . . . I think I went to sleep at about 12.”
The night before, I went to sleep at half past one,” she said.”I think it’s the same for the rest of our team.”
It isn’t the first rodeo for Waikohu Civil Defence, which was active during Cyclone Bola, but Kohere-Smiler says much of the team is new as of last year.
Their first planned hui for this year was set for February 14, the day after the cyclone began causing havoc in the region, but was brought forward to February 12 once the forecast raised alarm bells.
While there’s no end in sight for the issues affecting the township, Kohere-Smiler will be there until the last need is met. ”As long as we have whānau here, the Civil Defence will be activated.”
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