Watch: Sodden Henley has seen all this before

Henley lay sodden under a swiftly flowing Taieri River that muscled its way into the tiny settlement over the weekend.

Homes had water lapping at their doorsteps and at least one house was inundated, a day after the residents of 35 homes were evacuated on Saturday.

Those with four-wheel-drives sturdy enough to handle roads deep with water were just beginning to return to survey the damage yesterday.

But people whose lives have been at the very least severely disrupted were remarkably relaxed about the situation, in an area that is no stranger to flooding.

South of the town, farmers Josh and Ellie-May Adam's farmhouse driveway had swiftly flowing water close to the top of the fence-line yesterday, precluding any entry until it dropped.

The home they moved into five months ago, on  Henley Rd, had flooded before, in the 1950s, and 1980.

Last night Mr Adam said when he  eventually reached his home by boat he found he had been lucky; the water was 3cm from the floorboards.

"She was close to going in, but she didn't go in."

Mr Adam said he would wait until the water dropped to determine what other damage had occurred on his dairy, beef and sheep farm that was riven by  slips on hills and under water on the flat.

Of the damage, Mr Adam appeared remarkably unconcerned.

"We sort of can't do much about it," he said.

He stressed many others were worse off.

At nearby homes woodpiles were bobbing on the surface of the water.

Ellie-May and Josh Adam walk through a slip covering Henley Rd, as a flooded Taieri River runs through the fence by their driveway in the background. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery.

Down the road, neighbours were without power, but said they hadn't missed breakfast, having cooked bacon and eggs on the fire.

In Henley itself, a partly submerged car sat in a driveway with water halfway to its roof.
Resident Kris Hooper, who waited near the edge of the floodwaters on State Highway 1, said the car was a Falcon family members had spent five years restoring.

She had been evacuated by helicopter the day before with her dogs, but other pets, including cats and chicken, were waiting to be rescued.

Not far down the road, Liz and Tim Ferner, whose home was on a hill, had only five hours without power to deal with.

The couple were hosting Heidi Vlok of Canberra, who was delivering her daughter to the University of Otago.

"This is our introduction to Dunedin," she joked.

While it was unplanned, her visit was "the adventure of a lifetime".

The Otago Regional Council yesterday called on any farmers in the wider region able to offer support to those affected by the weekend's deluge to contact Federated Farmers.

Dozens of properties on the Taieri Plains remained evacuated and paddocks and pastures inundated.

ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead said it would be a difficult road ahead for farmers affected by the downpour and they would need assistance from the wider rural community.

"Federated Farmers is seeking assistance with feed and grazing," he said.

Those landholders in the surrounding districts that have food and assistance available please contact the 0800 number for Federated Farmers. He also called on those feeling overwhelmed to contact the Otago Rural Support Trust.