Cyclone Gabrielle: Wairoa marae calls for whānau to help with flood clean-up

Wikitoria Hauraki is calling for volunteers to help clean up the marae. Photo / Gisborne Herald

Locals have taken to Facebook to ask for help cleaning up the Takitimu-Waihirere marae in Wairoa.

In a video posted to Facebook, an emotional Wikitoria Hauraki shared images showing the extent of the damage following Cyclone Gabrielle.

Large parts of the region remain cut off, with limited electricity, internet and phone connection.

In the video, Hauraki said floodwaters went right through the wharenui and the mattress room of the marae.

“I can’t express the mess that is left here. But I can thank everybody who has come down to help, to clean up. But whoa, it’s a mess here. We need a hand, everybody needs a hand, but our marae... our ablutions are wiped out,” she said.

The clean-up of Takitimu-Waiherere Marae starts. Photo / Gisborne Herald

“It may be worse than (Cyclone) Bola because it actually went into the wharenui, via the mattress room. All our tables and chairs...I don’t know whether we can use them again.

“There is silt everywhere. Luckily one of the cousins came in with a bobcat to clear it out as much as possible.

“The gardens are damaged and the ablution (blocks) were all washed away.”

Hauraki urged locals to assist with cleanup efforts, if possible.

“We’re stuck on this side with hardly any help. Get us some help. I know everybody’s suffering ... but we can’t help anybody. It’s going to take us weeks to get this done.”

She said the impact to the wharenui and what it represents to whanau, hapu, iwi and the town was “massive”.

“The mess is everywhere. We don’t know where to start.”