Editorial: Next time we might not be so lucky

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

And on the third day the clouds parted and the sun shone ... and Noah put his ark away.

We dodged what could have been an unprecedented disaster - a flood of historic, if not Biblical, proportions.

They say the secret of comedy is timing, and maybe it is of tragedy also.

Compared to the June 2015 weather bomb, the timing this week was perfect. Early warning from the MetService of the tail-end of Cyclone Debbie coming to lash us (down to the detail of three successive bands of rain and when they were likely to strike) and a day or so to batten down the hatches and prepare the response.

Contrast that with two years ago when we were caught unawares, and hurried evacuations were carried out in darkness in the face of breached stopbanks and surging water.

This time Civil Defence was ahead of the rising tide; all the pieces were in place should the worst happen. This week was like a smoothly efficient training exercise.

Yes, we were lucky the Whanganui River did not reach expected levels and we were lucky to have time on our side.

Next time might be different - little warning and a desperate dash. So our emergency response team will be grateful to have ironed out any kinks in the system over the past few days.

In these cases, there are humble heroes and unfortunate victims.

A shout-out to Katisha Miller who set up in the kitchens at Cooks Gardens to cook for the Civil Defence workers and evacuees and whose words: "We have to give back ... we're all family here" will resonate with us all.

And spare a thought for the 74-year-old Gonville woman who took a taxi to Trafalgar Square for her regular Wednesday shop and found everywhere closed. It took a $37 taxi bill she could ill afford to get some food.

"Somebody should have told us the shops were shut," said the woman who listens to the wrong radio station and can't access the right websites and Facebook pages.

Another example of how old folk are marginalised in the modern age.