The Wanganui Chronicle is marking the one-year anniversary of the June 2015 floods with a series of articles all week, going back to those who suffered in the flood and finding out how their lives have changed one year on.
The chances were so slim. The Sarjeant Gallery moved into a temporary site on Taupo Quay in May 2014. Just for about five years while its famous Queen's Park building was being upgraded. But just over a year after the move, a one-in-100-years flood swept through the building.
"We knew that when [the river] got to a certain level then we have to start being concerned about at this end of the river," senior curator Greg Anderson said.
"Part of our preparation in moving down here to Taupo Quay from Queen's Park was an awareness we were moving into an area which could one day flood."
The gallery had an emergency plan. It was about 3.30pm when they put the plan into action. "We were able to move all the art works and the majority of the shop stuff and equipment out of harm's way long before the flood actually took place," Mr Anderson said.