Cyclone Gabrielle: The five confirmed deaths and what we know about them

Gisborne police confirmed to the public on Thursday they had located a deceased individual in the region, who was believed to have died from floodwaters.

This brought the death toll of Cyclone Gabrielle to five, but North Island locals fear this toll could rise further with recounts of “multiple bodies” spotted during the storm.

It was late Monday night when the first fatality occurred, the cyclone had just hit west Auckland and the coastal town of Muriwai had been hammered by strong winds and rainfall.

Shortly before 7am the following morning, Fire and Emergency confirmed a landslide had occurred on Motutara Rd, a house had collapsed in the slip and two firefighters were subsequently trapped.

Aerial photographs show the extent of damage caused by a landslip at Muriwai. Photo / George Heard

A full rescue operation was undertaken involving 10 fire crews, Urban Search and Rescue, Police and St John.

One firefighter was pulled from the rubble, they were rushed to hospital with critical injuries. The house’s resident was also rescued, they later described their mouth being full of roof dust as they screamed for help.

However, the second firefighter could not be located, the search was suspended in the early hours of the morning as the land was too unstable.

A drone surveyed the area over Tuesday to assess if it was safe to recommence the search, which resumed the following day.

At 11.24am on Wednesday, Fire and Emergency’s Kerry Gregory confirmed a body had been found during their search, and police assisted with retrieving and identifying the deceased.

Muriwai resident, artist Jennifer Mason captured the destruction wrought by a landslip on her house moments after the deadly incident. Photo / Jennifer Mason

Later that evening, the body was confirmed to be that of the missing firefighter, which the Herald revealed to be Dave van Zwanenberg, a local vet and volunteer with the Muriwai Fire Brigade.

NZ Horse and Pony Magazine shared a heartfelt message for van Zwanenberg, describing him as a “much-loved and valuable” member of the equestrian community who contributed to its ‘Ask the Experts’ section for more than a decade.

“Our hearts go out to his family, his colleagues, his many friends and his fellow firefighters.”

Fire and Emergency confirmed flags will be flown at half-mast at all fire stations over Thursday to acknowledge their crew member’s death.

The body was confirmed to be that of the missing firefighter, which the Herald revealed to be Dave van Zwanenberg. Photo / George Heard.

On Wednesday morning, a second fatality was confirmed by Hawke’s Bay police, when a woman was killed by a landslide during attempts to be rescued.

The woman was in a small farming settlement in the north of the region. Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence said authorities on the ground reported the fatality in Pūtōrino after a bank collapsed onto the victim’s home on Tuesday.

“Police visited the property following a missing person’s report and undertook rescue efforts, but were unsuccessful,” a statement said.

Then, a third person was revealed to have died during flooding in Napier, when a body had been found washed up on a beach north of the city.

Local officials reported the discovery at 7.45pm on Tuesday when the body was located at Bay View Beach.

Police said the person had not been formally identified.

Then at 2pm on Wednesday, further devastating news in Hawkes Bay as yet another was confirmed dead due to the cyclone’s impacts - this time, it was a child.

Flooding in Eskdale, Napier due to Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Valley D Vine Restaurant

Authorities found the body of the child in Eskdale, the young one was believed to have been caught in rising water the previous day.

The age of the child has not been released yet.

Early Thursday morning, the death toll rose to five - when a person was found dead in Gisborne due to what police believed to be rising floodwaters.

There is little more information about this flood victim, this was the first instance of a fatality in the Gisborne region - which was ravaged by rainfall and high windspeeds over Tuesday.

These five deaths are the only ones confirmed by authorities, however, residents of Hawkes Bay believe the toll number will not stop there.

Horrific witness accounts were made to the Herald of “multiple bodies” seen in raging floodwaters, local police have expressed “grave” fears the toll will rise.

The five deaths are the only ones confirmed by authorities, however, residents of Hawkes Bay believe the toll number will rise. Photo / Paul Taylor

One man told the Herald a relative of theirs had seen multiple bodies floating in water near Bay View.

Another – who lives in a property on the Bay View shoreline – said other locals had told him they had seen the same thing.

Prominent Eskdale resident, former Havelock North Borough Council councillor and mayor and one-term MP Jeff Whittaker, said he had grave fears for those trapped by surging flood waters in Esk Valley.

“There could be. I know a lot of people who live up the valley. At Esk Park there is a housing [development] up there and we have no idea what has happened up there.

“We can’t go up there [to check]. There is no phone or communications [up there]. There could have been [a few more swept away] ... it took so long getting to [the area due to conditions].”

More than 9000 people have left their homes around Hawke’s Bay, with 3000 of them staying in Civil Defence facilities.