RSE workers in Hawke's Bay became stranded after the Tutaekuri River burst its banks. Video / Talalelei Senetenari Taufale
As the cold floodwaters quickly rose higher up against his body, it was the thought of his parents that willed young orchard worker Benjamin Leota to swim harder.
“I nearly gave up - I was about to give up. But then I thought of my mum and dad back home. I remembered the last time they said goodbye to me.
“That was the last power I had in me, to push myself to keep swimming. I just thought: ‘I have to swim’.”
The 23-year-old, who calls Samoa home, has worked at an apple orchard in the Hawke’s Bay for the last two years as part of the Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme.
A proud son of Onosa’i Leota and Fialogo Manutulia Leota, from the village of Solosolo, he is the eldest of 10 siblings and acknowledges it is his duty to work and earn money for his family.
The young man described harrowing scenes as he and seven other workmates found their floor quickly filling up with water in the early hours of yesterday morning.
“I can’t describe how quick the water rose,” he told the Herald.
“It was just another level. We didn’t count minutes - it happened in seconds.”
Benjamin Leota, 23, (centre) and two friends here from Samoa under the Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme. Photo / Supplied
The group quickly tried to gather whatever food items they could and stuffed them in bags.
Leota said they felt their accommodation apartments would be too low, so a decision was made to try to swim to a higher container towards the back of the property.
‘We were holding on to apple tree branches’
“I felt scared straight away. There were eight of us and it was hard because the water was getting too high. Some of us were starting to give up.
“But when one of us was weak, the others would grab him or encourage him to keep swimming.”
The workers, however, quickly found themselves overwhelmed as they tried to get to the container.
Leota described the floodwater as “so cold” even just to be in it, let alone swim in it, so they turned back.
“We were holding on to apple tree branches and trying to swim back.”
The workmates managed to get to a vehicle that was not as inundated and stayed in there, wet and hungry, until rescuers arrived about 4pm - about nine hours after their ordeal started.
They were one of several groups of RSE workers rescued from various orchards around Hawke’s Bay, including a group of Samoan workers stuck on a roof for several hours and workers from Tonga who took to Facebook to livestream their ordeal when the nearby Tūtaekurī River burst its banks.
A group of Tongan RSE workers clambered onto roofs after the Tūtaekurī River bank burst near the orchard they live and work at. Image / Facebook
Churches turned into evacuation sites
Leota and his workmates are among the 60 RSE workers staying at the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (EFKS) church in Hastings, which opened its church hall last night to help those now without a home.
Reverend Sunita Nua said he and his wife saw a video on Facebook of workers pleading for help as they stood stranded on rooftops, surrounded by floodwaters.
“We just wanted to help,” Nua said.
“About 40 of them were brought here last night - cold, with no belongings and very hungry. Our church and the local community brought blankets, bedding items and food.
RSE workers at the EFKS Hastings church hall. Photo / Rev Sunita Nua
Despite their situation, there are big smiles among those affected by the floods in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Rev Sunita Nua
“We’re so grateful for our community for the support that they’re showing these young men.”
Nua said three workers had arrived late last night after everyone had eaten.
“They were all wearing white overalls the police officers had given them because their clothes were soaked through. I got some of my own clothes and gave it to them.
