Coastal Wairarapa townships clean up after heavy rain

Coastal Wairarapa townships spent much of yesterday clearing up after heavy rain sparked flash flooding and slips and caused homes to be evacuated.

The coastal township of Castlepoint was one of the worst affected, with part of its road being swept away and baches on the beachfront being inundated with water.

Among the baches flooded was one which recently sold at auction for a record $690,000.

In the Ngahape Valley flooding was also heavy, destroying sheds and cutting off access.

Families were evacuated at Mataikona and Riversdale. Six people were forced to spend the night at the Whakataki Hotel because they were unable to return to their houses.

The main storm on Wednesday hit coastal Wairarapa between Mataikona and Riversdale between 5pm and 9pm.

Masterton District Council contractors spent yesterday assessing damage and clearing roads.

Castlepoint Store worker Margaret Reid said she and friend Robyn Kirk noticed severe erosion next to the Castlepoint Stream Bridge and from under the edge of the public toilets when the rain abated.

Wednesday evening's water flow in the stream had been the highest she had seen at Castlepoint.

"It was actually shaking the bridge as we were watching it. We thought the whole bridge would go," she said.

During the evening another stream of mud, stones and soil appeared on the other side of the store. It had come off the hills and was washing across the road and into the sea.

"All the rain caused a lot of land slipping. It flew down the hill. It was so intense coming down the hill behind the store," Mrs Reid said.

A shipping container, reportedly full of furniture, was washed off a farm paddock and into the sea. It was still bobbing in the waves at midday yesterday.

Storeowner Devon Oakly also owns a house further along the Castlepoint-Masterton road where water levels reached more than a metre inside.

"It's just mud all through the inside. We are waiting for the insurance people to come and assess the damage," he said.

A van parked in his yard was washed 25m across the section up against the side of a garage.

A pohutukawa tree on the beachfront had also fallen over in the torrential rain.

Residents said the water hit some houses so suddenly that those inside were caught totally unprepared for evacuation.

Holidaymaker Neta Henson was at home about 6.45pm when the floods struck and before she realised the seriousness of the situation the water levels had risen dramatically inside her house.

"The flood water just came through and it came that quick. I just had time to remove some things from the bottom cupboard," Mrs Henson said.

At Riversdale some people with four-wheel-drive vehicles managed to drive out but others had to wait while a farmer began to clear the roads before contractors arrived to finish the job.

Many people were also trapped in their houses by flooded driveways.

Holidaymakers Michael and Jane Preston, from Toronto, had been in a Castlepoint beachfront bach for only one night and were taken by surprise when the floods struck.

"We were sitting there watching TV and saw a shoe go floating past the window," Mr Preston said.

"The water started coming in from everywhere. Through the doors, in through the drains, and flooded everything. It was going out as quickly as it was coming in."

The Prestons estimated the water level inside the house got up to about 20cm before they evacuated.

The bach had just come back into the Preston family's hands, with Mr Preston's brother now owning the property, which was built in the 1920s by their grandfather.

The bach hit the news last month when it was sold for $690,000.

Mrs Preston said as soon as the water started coming into the house they tried to get all of the electrical appliances off the floor and get ready to leave.

"It was very exciting, it came for just one day. Now we have to bail water out of the car," she said.

- NZPA