Fridges, soggy mattresses and ruined stacks of carpet lie in and around skips in Kaiaua as residents clean up after Friday’s storm.
While others on the Coromandel were in the midst of storm recovery, one couple was braving a bumpy ride to hospital for the birth of their baby.
Baby Isla Grace Elizabeth was born almost as soon as Te Mata parents Mike and Jovana Wilkes arrived at the Thames Birthing Unit late on Saturday night.
The Thames Coast Road, State Highway 25, suffered heavy damage and was washed out by last week's storm.
The effects are still evident, with large chunks of road having been gouged out and holes on the main road.
"We went from not so much pain to full on in about 20 minutes, and I took a gamble of taking a run down the Coast Rd," said Wilkes, 30.
Isla Grace Elizabeth Wilkes was born on January 6 after mother Jovana and father Mike Wilkes made a bumpy trip down the storm-damaged Thames Coast Road. Pictured with brother Zander. Photo / Supplied
"I could have gone the other way, which would have taken two and a half hours, and the baby would have been born in the car."
He described the ride as bumpy, but said he was impressed at how much was done in repairs just a day after the storm.
"I was blown away by the progress on the road," Wilkes said.
Wilkes said his wife was the calm one and he managed his anxiety by "just doing what I'm told".
After a labour lasting just 12 minutes according to the midwife's report, baby Isla Grace was born at 11.50pm on January 6 weighing 3.67kg.
The baby is the Christian couple's second child, and the name Isla means "devoted to God" in Spanish, Wilkes said.
They are co-owners of Te Mata Lodge, which faced a drop in the number of advance bookings as a result of the storm.
The Thames-Coromandel District Council said the Thames Coast Rd is open but said stop-go management at sections while heavy vehicles work on repairs would cause some delays to motorists.
NZ Transport Agency is prohibiting vehicles over 5 tonnes on SH25 between Te Puru and Manaia.
Meanwhile, a disaster relief fund has been set up by the Hauraki District Council for those affected in the area.
The council said it had received an "overwhelming response" from people wanting to donate money to help devastated coastal communities get back on their feet.
Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga said: "In all my years in Local Government and as Mayor I've never seen anything like this.
"The coastline is completely changed. The sea has come in like a tsunami and just ripped through houses, properties and farmland. Some people have lost everything. It's heart-breaking."
